17/12/2007

Fresh off its seven Golden Globe nominations (see news), Joe Wright’s wartime saga Atonement [+see also:
trailer
film profile] went one better with eight nominations for the 28th London Film Critics’ Circle Awards, including in the best British Film category named after Lord Attenborough.

Atonement will compete with Control [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Once [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Eastern Promises [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and This is England [+see also:
trailer
film profile] in this category.

In the best British Director category, Wright will have to fend off competition from Danny Boyle (Sunshine [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: AndrewMacdonald
interview: Danny Boyle
film profile]), Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum), Shane Meadows (This is England) and Anton Corbijn (Control).

Atonement’s Keira Knightley is up against Helena Bonham-Carter (Sweeney Todd), Julie Christie (Away From Her), Sienna Miller (Interview) and Samantha Morton (Control) in the best British Actress category.

In the best British Actor category, James McAvoy duly adds another nomination. Jim Broadbent (And When Did You Last See Your Father [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Christian Bale (3:10 to Yuma), Jonny Lee Miller ( The Flying Scotsman) and Sam Riley (Control) are the other nominees.

What distinguish these awards from others is that they are given for breakthrough impacts in acting and filmmaking. The Acting Breakthrough nominees this year include Benedict Cumberbatch (Amazing Grace [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Dakota Blue Richards (The Golden Compass), Sam Riley (Control) Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) and Thomas Turgoose (This Is England).

The year 2007 saw several sensational debuts in the British filmmaking arena and the Filmmaking Breakthrough nominees reflect this: John Carney (writer/director, Once), Anton Corbijn (director, Control), Sarah Gavron (director, Brick Lane [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Matt Greenhaigh (writer, Control) and Stevan Riley (writer/director/producer, Blue Blood).

Circle member Rich Cline said: “Our list of nominations, released a day after the Golden Globe nominees, is more critic-oriented rather than just trying to predict the Oscars. This makes our lists look a bit eccentric – but also a bit more honest, perhaps.”