The Artist continued its run for Oscar gold by picking up 12 nominations for the annual best in cinema awards by BAFTA. The British Academy Film Awards will bestow its annual honors February 12. Close behind The Artist’s 12 nods are the 11 nominations for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in what should be a close race between the French-made The Artist and the U.K.-developed Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
Joining The Artist and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in the Best Film field are The Descendants (recent Golden Globe winner for Best Drama), Drive and The Help.
Also of note is BAFTA’s Best Actor race which should mirror the nominees when Academy Award nominations are doled out. Good buddies Brad Pitt (Moneyball) and George Clooney (The Descendants) will go toe-to-toe in the award that will likely land in Clooney’s hands, along with Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Michael Fassbender (Shame) and Jean Dujardin (The Artist).
The 2012 BAFTA Nominees:
BEST FILM
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
My Week With Marilyn
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
We Need To Talk About Kevin
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Attack The Block
Black Pond Will Sharpe
Coriolanus
Submarine
Tyrannosaur
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Incendies
Pina
Potiche
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
DOCUMENTARY
George Harrison: Living In The Material World
Project Nim
Senna
ANIMATED FILM
The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn
Arthur Christmas
Rango
DIRECTOR
The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn
Hugo, Martin Scorsese
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Tomas Alfredson
We Need To Talk About Kevin, Lynne Ramsay
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids, Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
The Guard, John Michael McDonagh
The Iron Lady, Abi Morgan
Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants, Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
The Help, Tate Taylor
The Ides Of March, George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
Moneyball, Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan
LEADING ACTOR
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
LEADING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis, The Help
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Jim Broadbent, The Iron Lady
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Ides of March
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan, Drive
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Judi Dench, My Week with Marilyn
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer, The Help