The British Academy of Film and Television Arts today announced the nominees for its 2008 motion picture contest, naming Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille, DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek the Third and 20th Century Fox’s The Simpsons Movie in the running for top animated film. Animated shorts visual effects achievements have also been singled out for this year’s awards ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 10 at London’s Royal Opera House.
The contenders in the Short Animation category are Aardman’s The Pearce Sisters from directors Jo Allen and Luis Cook; Head Over Heels by Osbert Parker, Fiona Pitkin and Ian Gouldstone; and The Crumblegiant by Pearse Moore and John McCloskey. The Pearce Sisters is favored to win following a very successful run on the festival circuit. The wickedly funny and macabre tale about two weather-lashed Sisters living in a remote coastal town won the Jury’s Special Prize at Annecy and picking up top honors at the Platform Int’l Animation Festival and Cartoon Forum.
The only surprise in the visual effects contest is the inclusion of Universal’s The Bourne Ultimatum, which is also one of seven films shortlisted for the vfx Oscar though few would consider it an effects-driven film. Nonetheless, the team of Peter Chiang, Charlie Noble, Mattias Lindahl and Joss Williams are up against the digital wizards behind New Line’s The Golden Compass (Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Woods), Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Tim Burke, John Richardson, Emma Norton and Chris Shaw), Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (John Knoll, Charles Gibson, Hal Hickel and John Frazier) and Sony/Columbia’s Spider-Man 3 (Scott Stokdyk, Peter Nofz, Kee-Suk Ken Hahn and Spencer Cook).
Up for the Best Film BAFTA this year are Universal International Pictures’ American Gangster and Atonement, Lionsgate’s The Lives of Others and the Miramax releases No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood. After winning the Golden Globe last week, Atonement garnered a total of 14 BAFTA nominations to lead the pack. See the full list of nominees at www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-awards-nominees-in-2008,224,BA.html.
