V for victory – Oldman flies flag at awards bash

Gary Oldman is just the chap to fly the flag at the British Consul General’s annual party to celebrate Blighty’s Oscar nominees.

Oldman, whose brilliant portrait of Winston Churchill in darkest Hour has made him the favourite to carry off the best actor statuette, is one of many being honoured by michael Howells, Her majesty’s representative in los angeles, and Bafta la chair Kieran Breen.

There are British nominees in 17 of the 24 academy award categories this year. They include actors daniel Kaluuya, Sally Hawkins, lesley manville and daniel day-lewis.

Jacqueline durran is up for two costume Oscars for her work on darkest Hour and Beauty and The Beast.

and production designers Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer are also in the hunt for their work on the same two movies.

director Chris nolan is in the running for dunkirk (some Oscar experts think dunkirk could be a dark horse winner, but frankly, as a wise screenwriter once said, nobody knows anything). martin mcdonagh is nominated for original screenplay for the Film4 and Fox Searchlight-backed Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, missouri, which he also directed and has a best film nomination.

and legendary cinematographer roger deakins is up for an Oscar for the 14th time for his visual poetry in Blade runner 2049. deakins, amazingly, has never won the academy award.

This being a Brit bash, it seems appropriate that rain is expected — though the soggy cucumber sandwiches can always be washed down with a few glugs of Chapel down sparkling wine or tumblers of aberlour whisky.

The party is being held at the Consul General’s residence for the first time in a couple of years.

There was inclement weather the last time it was there, too; and I recall female guests being handed little plastic devices to place over their stiletto heels to stop them getting stuck in the lawn. What larks!