The Bafta Front runner
Netflix anti-war epic leads nominations – all thanks to British former athlete’s obsession
IT is a glittering night in the British film calendar – but German talent looks set to dominate this year’s Baftas.
Anti-war film All Quiet On The Western Front, based on the 1928 novel by Erich Maria Remarque, is up for 14 awards including best film and best director for Edward Berger.
But behind Netflix’s German juggernaut is a plucky Brit – triathlete-turnedscreenwriter Lesley Paterson from Stirling, Scotland.
Ms Paterson, 42, told the BBC: ‘I reread it with my then writing/producing partner Ian Stokell and both of us were like, wow, why has this not been redone? Especially using the technology we now have. It’s about taking a risk, right? Never giving up and knowing this will get made.’
She pitched the film to Netflix in 2020. ‘All the naysayers who said give it up, don’t bother, why are you spending all this money – you have to take risks,’ she said. ‘I did that in sport and I was successful and I’m doing the same in film.’
Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees Of Inisherin and Daniel Kwan and Daniel
Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once follow closely behind with ten nominations each. Both are up for best film, with Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis and Todd Field’s Tar rounding off the list.
Dame Emma Thompson was the only British star nominated in the leading actress category for her turn in Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. Her co-star Daryl McCormack is one of three Irish actors up for lead actor, with Colin Farrell and Paul Mescal nominated alongside English star Bill Nighy and American actors Brendan Fraser and Austin Butler.
Some 14 of the 24 performance slots are dominated by stars’ first-ever Bafta nominations. Oscar favourite The Fabelmans was largely snubbed, missing out on best film and best director for Steven Spielberg.
The ceremony – on Sunday, February 19 – returns to London’s Royal Festival Hall with Richard E Grant as host.