This year’s ceremony marks the first time in which the category of best film will be extended from five nominations to ten. The reason for this was to give deserving films more recognition, the category is flooded with a smorgasbord of different genres and styles of film including war film ‘Hurt Locker’ and Disney-Pixar creation ‘Up’.
Britain will have a interest in the forthcoming awards with British film ‘An Education’, receiving three nominations including best film and actress in a leading role for twenty-four year old Carey Mulligan. Elsewhere their are nominations for Colin Firth for best actor in a leading role in the film ‘A Single Man’. Also Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren have received nominations, for their portrayal of Leo Tolstoy and Sofya Tolstoy in the film ‘The Last Station’. The nominations came in the categories of best actor in a supporting role and best actress in a leading role respectively.
The front runner for this years awards is the box office goliath ‘Avatar’ which has received nine nominations including best picture and best director for James Cameron, who became the first director to have two films gross over a billion dollars the other being ‘Titanic’ which won twelve academy awards in 1997.
This years master or ceremonies will be Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin both of who are well known throughout film and television. Alec Baldwin is widely known for his roles in such films as ‘Glengary Glen Ross’ and ‘The Departed’, and most recently he has played the role of Jack Donaghy in the award winning television show ’30 Rock’. Steve Martin is widley raguarded as comedy film legend for his roles in films such as ‘Bowfinger’ and ‘Planes Trains and Automobiles’
The awards take place the 7th of March
