After a year of mixed box office fortunes for Hollywood, it’s the Brit flicks that have taken the plaudits in the London Critics' Circle Annual Film Award nominations.
Director Joe Wright’s vision of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice is sitting pretty with a massive eight nods, including British Director Of The Year, British Film Of The Year and British Actress Of The Year for its star Keira Knightley.
Fernando Meirelles’ celebrated action drama The Constant Gardener rides Pride’s tail with a haul of seven nominations including Best Director, Film Of The Year and Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes.
Other flicks heralded in the Film Of The Year category are Peter Jackson’s epic King Kong, David Cronenberg’s drama A History Of Violence, Ang Lee’s hotly tipped Brokeback Mountain and Paul Haggis’ ground-breaking Crash.
The Circle continues the trend of UK awards shows in 2005 by scattering its nominations and putting forward a hugely diverse list for its main categories. Best British Director sees Batman Begins helmer Christopher Nolan and Mrs Henderson Presents director Stephen Frears up against Total Film’s good friend Neil Marshall for The Descent.
While in the Best Screenwriter stable, Bernd Eichinger who scribbled the tense historical drama Downfall will square off against the talents of Shane Black for his rapier-sharp Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang script.
The winners are set to be announced at the 26th Annual Awards ceremony at London’s Dorchester Hotel on the 9 February, which is held in benefit of the NSPCC.
For a full list of nominations can be found on the official website by clicking here .
