BAFTA reveals longlist for the EE British Academy Film Awards

The British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) has revealed the longlists for the EE British Academy Film Awards in 2021.

The publication of the longlists follows the BAFTA 2020 Review, whereby over 120 wide-ranging changes were introduced across voting, membership and campaigning to address a lack of diversity in the 2020 Film Awards nominations.

As part of these changes, a new longlisting initial round was introduced for the EE British Academy Film Awards resulting in three rounds of voting.

Round One voting, which took place from 12 to 26 January, produced the longlists in all categories. Every category in this round was voted on by a craft chapter, opt-in chapter or jury, with the exception of Best Film which was voted for by all film voting members.

Chapters are made up of a minimum of 100 BAFTA members who hold specialist knowledge in the relevant craft. From this year, the acting categories became chapterised to align with the other craft chapters. Members are also invited annually to opt-in to up to three chapters including Outstanding British Film, Documentary, Film Not in the English Language and Animated Film.

Juries are made up of industry experts, with each jury comprised of people from a diverse range of backgrounds, experience, gender, location and age groups.

Round Two voting, which takes place from 19 February to 1 March, will determine the nominations which will be announced on 9 March. Round Three voting will take place from 25 March to 7 April and will determine the winners, to be announced at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 11 April. The EE Rising Star Award nominations will be announced on Wednesday 3 March.

For the first time, all entered films were made available on BAFTA View, the online viewing portal. Voting members were able to access every entered film, allowing them to watch as many films as possible from a much earlier stage in the process than in previous years. This has led to over 120,000 streams to date.

As part of the new Round One voting, all film voting members were assigned a randomly selected sample of 15 films as recommended viewing ahead of voting. This ensured all entered films were each individually viewed hundreds of times and this encouraged voting members to consider a wider range of films.

In Round Two of voting, members are required to watch all longlisted films before they can vote for the nominations in Best Film, their craft chapter and opt-in chapters to ensure all films are given due consideration.

Throughout the Review, many participants discussed the challenges of voting with a wide range of influences acting upon them, from marketing to our own preconceptions. Many members asked to learn more about the biases which might affect voting. To address this, BAFTA worked with Huma Qazi, an experienced diversity and inclusion expert, and writing, directing and acting talent from BAFTA Elevate, to create three short conscious voter films to share some research into this area with voters. Voting members were asked to watch these films before voting.

The publication of the longlists is just one of the many changes implemented from the Review so far and demonstrates that real change is taking place. This is an ongoing process and BAFTA is committed to this change long-term, not just this year.

BAFTA Film Committee Chair Marc Samuelson said: “The longlists announced today reflect some of the key changes we’ve already begun to implement as part of our ongoing Review. A big thank you goes to our membership for embracing these changes so positively and quickly especially during this challenging time. BAFTA View is already helping level the playing field for all entrants this year and we’re really pleased that over 120,000 streams have taken place. I hope today’s longlists shows you that we remain committed to change in all aspects of the BAFTA’s awards on an ongoing basis.”

BAFTA Chief Executive Amanda Berry OBE said: “The film industry has had an incredibly difficult year and I would like to thank the distributors for working with us to ensure films were made available for members to watch on BAFTA View. Following the 2020 Review, we introduced over 120 wide-ranging changes across the organisation, including a new Film Awards Round One to allow longlisting.  The addition of this new round was to ensure that more films were seen during the initial voting process.  Before voting in the next round, which will deliver the nominations, members are asked to watch all films in the categories they vote in to ensure every film is given full and proper consideration.”

In addition to voting changes, the Review also announced an unprecedented expansion to further diversify BAFTA’s membership. New members are being invited and the target is to add 1,000 new members from under-represented groups over the next two years. A membership survey was sent out to members ahead of voting to enable us to set targets to address areas of under-representation. The results of the survey will be published soon.

The EE British Academy Film Awards will take place on Sunday 11 April. Further details regarding the ceremony will be revealed in due course.

READ THE FULL BAFTA LONGLIST BELOW

CINEMATOGRAPHY

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 183 films were submitted for consideration.

• Ammonite
• The Dig
• Greyhound
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• The Mauritanian
• The Midnight Sky
• News of the World
• Nomadland
• Rebecca
• Saint Maud
• Tenet
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• The White Tiger

BEST FILM

15 films go through to the Round Two of voting, and five will be nominated. This is the only category voted for by all film voting members in all voting rounds. 244 films were submitted for consideration.

• Another Round
• Da 5 Bloods
• The Dig
• The Father
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• The Mauritanian
• News of the World
• Nomadland
• One Night In Miami…
• Promising Young Woman
• Soul
• Sound of Metal
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• The White Tiger

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

20 films will go through to Round Two of voting. The top five films from the opt-in chapter vote in Round One automatically receive a nomination. The next ranking 15 films will be considered by a jury, who will vote for five nominations. 10 films will be nominated in this category. In Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner in this category. 74 films were submitted for consideration, all of which passed the BFI Diversity Standards.

• Ammonite
• Calm With Horses
• County Lines
• The Courier
• David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
• The Dig
• Emma.
• The Father
• Herself
• His House
• Limbo
• The Mauritanian
• Misbehaviour
• Mogul Mowgli
• Promising Young Woman
• Radioactive
• Rebecca
• Rocks
• Saint Maud
• Supernova

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

12 films have been longlisted, and five will be nominated. The longlist, nominees and winner in this category are voted on by a jury. 49 films were submitted for consideration.

• The Australian Dream
• Being A Human Person
• Calm with Horses
• His House
• Limbo
• Moffie
• Mogul Mowgli
• Rare Beasts
• The Reason I Jump
• Rocks
• Saint Maud
• White Riot

FILM NOT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

15 films will progress to Round Two of voting, and five will be nominated. This category is voted for in all three Rounds by an opt-in Chapter. 56 films were submitted for consideration.

• Another Round
• Bacurau
• Collective
• Dear Comrades!
• I’m No Longer Here (Ya No Estoy Aqui)
• The Life Ahead
• Les Misérables
• Minari
• The Mole Agent
• New Order
• The Painter and the Thief
• Quo Vadis, Aida?
• System Crasher
• The Traitor
• The Truffle Hunters

DOCUMENTARY

15 films will progress to Round Two of voting and five will be nominated. This category is voted for in all three Rounds by an opt-in Chapter. 77 films were submitted for consideration.

• All In: The Fight For Democracy
• Athlete A
• Beastie Boys Story
• Becoming
• Billie
• Collective
• Crip Camp
• David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
• Dick Johnson is Dead
• The Dissident
• I Am Greta
• MLK/FBI
• My Octopus Teacher
• The Social Dilemma
• The Truffle Hunters

ANIMATED FILM

Six films will progress to Round Two of voting, and three will be nominated. This category is voted for in all three Rounds by an opt-in Chapter. 13 films were submitted for consideration.

• The Croods: A New Age
• Onward
• Over the Moon
• Soul
• The Willoughbys
• Wolfwalkers

DIRECTOR

20 films will progress to Round Two of voting, and six will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is voted on by a jury (nominations) and Round Three is voted on by the general membership (winner). To determine this longlist, in Round One, the directing chapter voted; the top eight female and top eight male directed films were automatically longlisted. The remaining 2 female and 2 male directors were voted for by a Longlisting jury, who have considered the next 10 ranking female and male directed films. A jury will vote for the six nominations. In Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 226 films were submitted for consideration.

• Another Round
• The Assistant
• Babyteeth
• The Dig
• The Father
• The Forty-Year-Old Version
• Mank
• The Mauritanian
• Minari
• My Octopus Teacher
• News of the World
• Nomadland
• One Night In Miami…
• Promising Young Woman
• Quo Vadis, Aida?
• Rocks
• Saint Maud
• Tenet
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• The White Tiger

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 104 films were submitted for consideration.

• Ammonite
• Another Round
• The Assistant
• Da 5 Bloods
• The Forty-Year-Old Version
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• Mank
• Minari
• Never Rarely Sometimes Always
• Promising Young Woman
• Rocks
• Saint Maud
• Soul
• Sound of Metal
• The Trial of the Chicago 7

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 61 films were submitted for consideration.

• Babyteeth
• Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• The Dig
• Emma.
• The Father
• Hillbilly Elegy
• I’m Thinking of Ending Things
• The Invisible Man
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• The Mauritanian
• News of the World
• Nomadland
• One Night In Miami…
• Pieces of a Woman
• The White Tiger

LEADING ACTRESS

15 performances will progress to Round Two of voting, and six will be nominated. To determine this longlist, in Round One the acting chapter voted; the top 12 were automatically longlisted. The remaining three places have been voted on by the Longlisting jury, who have considered the next 10 placed performances from the chapter vote. Round Two is voted on by a jury who will vote for the six nominations. In Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner in this category. 126 performances were submitted for consideration.

• Amy Adams Hillbilly Elegy
• Bukky Bakray Rocks
• Radha Blank The Forty-Year-Old Version
• Jessie Buckley I’m Thinking of Ending Things
• Morfydd Clark Saint Maud
• Viola Davis Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Julia Garner The Assistant
• Vanessa Kirby Pieces of a Woman
• Sophia Loren The Life Ahead
• Frances McDormand Nomadland
• Carey Mulligan Promising Young Woman
• Wunmi Mosaku His House
• Kate Winslet Ammonite
• Alfre Woodard Clemency
• Zendaya Malcolm & Marie

LEADING ACTOR

15 performances will progress to Round Two of voting, and six will be nominated. To determine this longlist, in Round One the acting chapter voted; the top 12 were automatically longlisted. The remaining three places have been voted on by the Longlisting jury, who have considered the next 10 placed performances from the chapter vote. Round Two is voted on by a jury who will vote for the six nominations. In Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner in this category. 122 performances were submitted for consideration.

• Riz Ahmed Sound of Metal
• Kingsley Ben-Adir One Night In Miami…
• Chadwick Boseman Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Ralph Fiennes The Dig
• Adarsh Gourav The White Tiger
• Tom Hanks News of the World
• Anthony Hopkins The Father
• Cosmo Jarvis Calm With Horses
• Delroy Lindo Da 5 Bloods
• Mads Mikkelsen Another Round
• Gary Oldman Mank
• Tahar Rahim The Mauritanian
• LaKeith Stanfield Judas and the Black Messiah
• John David Washington Malcolm & Marie
• Steven Yeun Minari

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

15 performances will progress to Round Two of voting, and six will be nominated. To determine this longlist, in Round One the acting chapter voted; the top 12 were automatically longlisted. The remaining three places have been voted on by the Longlisting jury, who have considered the next 10 placed performances from the chapter vote. Round Two is voted on by a jury who will vote for the six nominations. In Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner in this category. 234 performances were submitted for consideration.

• Niamh Algar Calm With Horses
• Kosar Ali Rocks
• Maria Bakalova Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
• Ellen Burstyn Pieces of a Woman
• Priyanka Chopra Jonas The White Tiger
• Glenn Close Hillbilly Elegy
• Olivia Colman The Father
• Jennifer Ehle Saint Maud
• Dominique Fishback Judas and the Black Messiah
• Jodie Foster The Mauritanian
• Ashley Madekwe County Lines
• Amanda Seyfried Mank
• Saoirse Ronan Ammonite
• Yuh-Jung Youn Minari
• Helena Zengel News of the World

SUPPORTING ACTOR

15 performances will progress to Round Two of voting, and six will be nominated. To determine this longlist, in Round One the acting chapter voted; the top 12 were automatically longlisted. The remaining three places have been voted on by the Longlisting jury, who have considered the next 10 placed performances from the chapter vote. Round Two is voted on by a jury who will vote for the six nominations. In Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner in this category. 298 performances were submitted for consideration.

• Chadwick Boseman Da 5 Bloods
• Bo Burnham Promising Young Woman
• Sacha Baron Cohen The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Benedict Cumberbatch The Mauritanian
• Daniel Kaluuya Judas and the Black Messiah
• Barry Keoghan Calm With Horses
• Alan Kim Minari
• Frank Langella The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Leslie Odom Jr. One Night In Miami…
• Clarke Peters Da 5 Bloods
• Eddie Redmayne The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Mark Rylance The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Paul Raci Sound of Metal
• David Strathairn Nomadland
• Stanley Tucci Supernova

CASTING

15 films will progress to Round Two of voting, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is voted on by a jury (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 112 films were submitted in this category. Casting Statements, written by the Casting Directors about the casting process, are provided by the entrants and shared with the jury in Round Two and published on BAFTA View.

• Babyteeth
• Calm With Horses
• Da 5 Bloods
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• Minari
• The Mauritanian
• One Night In Miami…
• Pieces of a Woman
• Promising Young Woman
• Rocks
• Saint Maud
• Sound of Metal
• The Trial of the Chicago 7

COSTUME DESIGN

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 133 films were submitted for consideration.

• Ammonite
• The Dig
• Emma.
• Hillbilly Elegy
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• Misbehaviour
• Mulan
• News of the World
• Promising Young Woman
• Radioactive
• Rebecca
• The Secret Garden
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• The United States Vs. Billie Holiday

EDITING

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 203 films were submitted for consideration.

• Another Round
• Da 5 Bloods
• The Father
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• Mank
• The Mauritanian
• News of the World
• Nomadland
• Promising Young Woman
• Rocks
• Saint Maud
• Sound of Metal
• Tenet
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• The White Tiger

MAKE UP & HAIR

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 131 films were submitted for consideration.

• Ammonite
• Blithe Spirit
• The Dig
• Emma.
• Hillbilly Elegy
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• Mulan
• Pinocchio
• Promising Young Woman
• Rebecca
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• True History of the Kelly Gang
• The United States Vs. Billie Holiday
• Wonder Woman 1984

ORIGINAL SCORE

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 133 films were submitted for consideration. Music cue sheets are provided by the entrants and published on BAFTA View for the music chapter in Rounds One and Two, and for all voting members in Round Three.

• Ammonite
• Da 5 Bloods
• David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
• Hillbilly Elegy
• The Little Things
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• The Midnight Sky
• Minari
• News of the World
• Promising Young Woman
• Saint Maud
• Soul
• Tenet
• The Trial of the Chicago 7

PRODUCTION DESIGN

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 146 films were submitted for consideration.

• Ammonite
• The Dig
• Emma.
• The Father
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• The Midnight Sky
• News of the World
• Promising Young Woman
• Radioactive
• Rebecca
• The Secret Garden
• Tenet
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Wonder Woman 1984

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 55 films were submitted for consideration. Entrants can submit a supporting Statement and a show-reel of the SVFX work (up to five minutes in duration); this will be published on BAFTA View for the chapter in Round Two and general voting members in Round Three.

• Da 5 Bloods
• Greyhound
• The Invisible Man
• Mank
• The Midnight Sky
• Mulan
• News of the World
• The Old Guard
• The One and Only Ivan
• Pinocchio
• The Secret Garden
• Sonic The Hedgehog
• Soul
• Tenet
• Wonder Woman 1984

SOUND

15 films will progress to Round Two, and five will be nominated. Round One is a chapter vote, Round Two is a chapter vote (nominations) and in Round Three, the general voting membership will select the winner. 170 films were submitted for consideration.

• Greyhound
• The Invisible Man
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
• Mank
• The Mauritanian
• The Midnight Sky
• News of the World
• Nomadland
• Promising Young Woman
• Saint Maud
• Soul
• Sound of Metal
• Tenet
• The Trial of the Chicago 7
• Wonder Woman 1984

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

Six films have been longlisted, and three will be nominated. Rounds One and Two (longlist and nominations) are a jury vote, and an opt in chapter will select the winner in Round Three.

• Bench
• Cha
• Chado
• The Fire Next Time
• The Owl and the Pussycat
• The Song of A Lost Boy

BRITISH SHORT FILM

10 films have been longlisted, and five will be nominated. In Round One, members of the opt-in shorts chapter vote to form a preliminary longlist, and from the highest ranking films a jury vote for the longlist of 10 films. In Round Two, the jury vote on thenominations. In Round Three, an opt in chapter will select the winner.

• The Birth Of Valerie Venus
• Dad Was
• Dọlápọ Is Fine
• Eyelash
• Lizard
• Lucky Break
• Miss Curvy
• My Brother’s Keeper
• The Present
• Tic Toc

Round Two voting, to determine the nominations in the member voted categories, will open between Friday 19 February and Monday 1 March 2021.

All longlisted films are available for voting members to watch on BAFTA View.

The EE Rising Star Award nominations will be announced on Wednesday 3 March 2021.

The EE British Academy Film Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday 9 March 2021.

Round Three voting, to determine the winners, will open between Thursday 25 March and Wednesday 7 April 2021.

The EE British Academy Film Awards ceremony takes place on Sunday 11 April 2021.