Stars join Time’s Up Baftas campaign

AMMA ASANTE, Carey Mulligan and Gemma Arterton are among those working with the UK branch of Time’s Up to draw attention to the work of women and creative people from diverse backgrounds that they feel should have been recognised by Bafta.

The members of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts chose only to nominate white performers at this year’s film awards and no female directors were recognised.

Dame Heather Rabbatts, chairwoman of Time’s Up UK, which campaigns for gender equality, said there were “glaring omissions” in the nominations, which sparked the Twitter trend #BaftasSoWhite.

She added: “Time’s Up UK wants to ensure we do not let these awards pass by without us raising the profile of those whose endeavours and performances have not made it to the nominations.

“So, we are running a social media campaign which will highlight those who are absent and who we also want to see recognised.

“For example, exceptional female-directed films such as Atlantique, Booksmart, The Farewell, Harriet, Honey Boy, Hustlers, Little Women, The Nightingale, Queen & Slim and Portrait Of A Lady On Fire.”

Asante, who has directed films including Belle and A United Kingdom,

said her pick for the best actress Bafta would be TurnerSmith for her role in Queen & Slim opposite Daniel Kaluuya.

Mulligan said she would nominate director Lorene Scafaria for her work on Hustlers, while Arterton said: “I loved Booksmart and can’t believe it didn’t get any nods, especially for the acting and first-time director (Olivia Wilde). Same goes for The Nightingale and Portrait Of A Lady On Fire.”