The Dig, Netflix’s critically-acclaimed movie about the discovery of the Sutton Hoo ship burial, starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan, has gained five nominations in this year’s BAFTA film awards.
Although, Fiennes and Mulligan, who played self-taught archaeologist Basil Brown and landowner Mrs Edith Pretty missed out on leading actor nominations, the film itself was nominated for Outstanding British Film, alongside such other critical hits Rocks, The Father and Promising Young Woman.
The Dig also picked up an important Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for writer Moira Buffini – best known for her work on Harlots and Tamara Drewe. The Dig also picked up nominations in three leading technical categories – Best Costume, Best Production Design and Best Hair and Make-Up.
In the leading categories there were plenty of nominations for smaller, independent films this year with several movies in the Best British Film category also appearing in the Best Debut section. These included: His House, Limbo, Rocks and Saint Maud.
The films vying for the Best Film title are The Father, The Mauritanian, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Up for leading actor are: Riz Ahmed for Sound of Metal, Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Adarsh Gourav for The White Tiger, Sir Anthony Hopkins for The Father, Mads Mikkelsen for Another Round and Tahar Rahim for The Mauritanian.
Competing for the leading actress award are: Bukky Bakray for Rocks, Radha Blank for The Forty-Year-Old Version, Vanessa Kirby for Pieces of a Woman, Frances McDormand for Nomadland, Wunmi Mosaku for His House and Alfre Woodard for Clemency.
In the Best Director category we have Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round, Shannon Murphy for Babyteeth, Lee Isaac Chung for Minari, Chloé Zhao for Nomadland, Jasmila Žbanić for Quo Vadis, Aida? and Sarah Gavron for Rocks.
Last year the BAFTAs were criticized that there wasn’t a single nomination for a person of colour in the acting awards, this year of the 24 acting nominees 16 have gone to non-white actors.
Also with Hollywood virtually closed down because of Covid restrictions, it has also made room for many more independent films to gain a showing thanks to streaming sites.
The BAFTA awards are being awarded on April 11.
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