BAFTAs 2015: The Grand Budapest Hotel leads with 11 nominations

Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel has checked in the most nominations for the British Academy Film Awards, just edging favourites The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game.

The fantastical farce received 11 BAFTA nominations including Best Film, Director and Original Screenplay for Anderson and was a major contributor to Fox Searchlight’s record 24 nods.

Ralph Fiennes, who plays flamboyant hotel concierge Monsieur Gustave H in the comedy, said of his nomination: “I’m delighted of course, merci Madame Bafta. Dom Perignon all around for guests and staff at The Grand Budapest Hotel. And a free sample of Eau de Panache too darling.”

It is nearly a year since the film received its world premiere as the opening film of the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won a Silver Bear.

There was little surprise in the raft of nominations for British favourites The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game.

Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything scored ten nominations for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Director for James Marsh, Adapted Screenplay, Original Music, Editing, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair.

Eddie Redmayne is nominated for Leading Actor, whilst Felicity Jones receives a nomination for Leading Actress.

Redmayne said: “I am so proud to be a part of this film. It was a great privilege to get to play such an extraordinary man and to be recognised by Bafta means the world. I will be having a glass or three of something to celebrate.”

The Imitation Game, a biopic of Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing, was nominated in Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Production Design, Costume Design and Sound.

Benedict Cumberbatch is nominated for Leading Actor and Keira Knightley is nominated for Supporting Actress. Announcing Cumberbatch’s nod, nominations co-host Stephen Fry jokingly exclaimed: “No!,” in mock surprise.

Cumberbatch said: “I am really thrilled and honoured not only to be considered worthy to keep the company of my fellow nominees and their exceptional work of inspiring brilliance but also to have been nominated by the members of Bafta who are the men and women who make our film industry the envy of the world.  

“I’m bursting with pride for myself Keira, Graham and the film. Thank you so, so much.”

While there was no shock in the abundance of nominations for Theory and Imitation, there were some surprise omissions. Actor Timothy Spall and director Mike Leigh were overlooked for Mr. Turner while Martin Luther King biopic Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken were totally ignored. [Click here for more omissions]

Nominees by the numbers

• 11 - The Grand Budapest Hotel
• 10 - The Theory of Everything, Birdman
• 9 - The Imitation Game
• 5 - Boyhood, Whiplash
• 4 - Mr. Turner, Nightcrawler, Interstellar
• 3 - Pride

Also close to the head of the pack was Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman.

The film, about an actor looking to revive his career on Broadway while being literally haunted by the superhero he played on screen, recieved ten nominations including for Best Film, Director for Iñárritu, Original Screenplay, Original Music, Cinematography, Editing and Sound.

Michael Keaton is nominated for Leading Actor. Edward Norton is nominated for Supporting Actor and Emma Stone is nominated for Supporting Actress.

Boyhood completes the Best Film line-up, with four further nominations in Director and Original Screenplay for Richard Linklater, with Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress nominations for Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette respectively.

Twentieth Century Fox led in terms of distributors, due to its handling of leaders The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman. [Click here for full list of distributors]

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Feb 8 at London’s Royal Opera House, hosted by Stephen Fry. It will be broadcast on BBC1 in the UK and in all major territories around the world.

Here are the nominations in the four main categories (click here for full list):

Best Film

• Birdman
• Boyhood
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• The Theory of Everything

Outstanding British Film

• ‘71
• The Imitation Game
• Paddington
• Pride
• The Theory of Everything
• Under The Skin

Best actor

• Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
• Ralph Fiennes (Grand Budapest Hotel)
• Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler)
• Michael Keaton (Birdman)
• Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)

Best actress

• Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
• Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)
• Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
• Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
• Reese Witherspoon (Wild)