Awards whispers: Bafta voters on their favourite British films and talent in contention

Producer 1, female, Bafta and Ampas voter

Which films would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
Herself by Phyllida Lloyd is a stunning film. It is a reflection on domestic violence that dances between hope and what we know but don’t admit to ourselves. I gasped as it crescendos. I would also love to see His House by Remi Weekes, Mogul Mowgli by Bassam Tariq and Rocks by Sarah Gavron and team, in the nominations too.

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
I have two: His House and Mogul Mowgli.

And what about any British talent longlisted in any of the other categories?
Rocks for screenplay and co-directing. I’m glad Bafta has changed its rules about how many physical awards it can give out (hat tip to Dominic Buchanan) – because there are a number of talented women to credit for the shape of Rocks in either of these categories The production was a model of collaborative, empowering and dynamic filmmaking – ref to any Rocks Q&A as a good indicator of this (I’ve seen several and they are in themselves a tonic!) The film itself is as buoyant as it is impactful as a result and I hope to see it celebrated. The film’s beating hearts also deserve nominations: Bukky Bakray for lead actress and Kosar Ali for supporting actress.

For me Riz Ahmed would have deserved not one, but two leading actor nominations so he should surely be celebrated with a nomination for Sound Of Metal.

I was struck by the way Daniel Kaluyya moved in Judas And The Black Messiah. His performance felt embodied, conscious of the weight of history he carries but also informed by deep intellectual work, engaging with the values of the Black Panther Party.

Casting director, female, Bafta and Ampas voter

Which films would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
I’d love to see some support for Supernova which hasn’t been seen widely in the UK yet. It’s a quietly devastating film with two brilliant central performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci. Both actors I’m sure took a chance on this independent film and they along with writer/director Harry Macqueen have made something very accomplished and beautiful.

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
Some great films this year and unique voices coming through. How I wished we could have seen them in the cinema! His House, Calm With Horses and White Riot are highlights. All three have a wonderful energy and strong vision.

And what about any British talent longlisted in any of the other categories?
It would be fantastic for Bafta to recognise Riz Ahmed. Consistently great work and keeps pushing forward, challenging himself with really varied roles. We’ve had two amazing performances from him this year in Sound Of Metal and Mogul Mowgli.

Executive, male, Bafta and Ampas voter

Which films would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
Saint Maud. Everyone’s always typically interested in doing something that’s arthouse or indie, I thought this was brave-choice filmmaking from the director. And Morfydd Clark was superb.

I thought Sarah Gavron did a great job with Rocks. Sarah’s an interesting filmmaker, but I have not liked all of her movies in the past. It’s great to see an original group of young women in the leads, and Sarah, having done movies with big stars, going back to basics and doing something terrific. 

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
Saint Maud, obviously, but Calm With Horses was a real surprise for me. I didn’t know much about it until the British Independent Film Awards highlighted it. All three leads were very good, but Barry Keoghan was the standout for me.  Saint Maud, Rocks and Calm With Horses are true British indies – it’s not about the budgets, it’s not about the scale, no known names. Just great storytelling, great filmmaking, great performances.

And what about any British talent longlisted in any of the other categories?
The Father is a Hopkins tour-de-force. I also was knocked out by Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman. I always find her such a mesmerising actress – and performance-wise and storytelling-wise, Promising Young Woman was really impressive.

Executive, female, Bafta voter

Which films would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
Rocks is truly outstanding. For me, it’s Sarah Gavron’s best film, and a huge achievement to have given voice to teenage girls in a way that makes for a compelling story as well as feeling entirely authentic and multi-faceted.

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
Limbo. Ben Sharrock has such an empathetic voice as a screenwriter and director, as well as immense visual talent and a great sense of comedy – I loved this film.

Who of the British talent longlisted in other categories would you like to see nominated?
Kosar Ali in Rocks. She is incredibly charismatic, truthful and empathic.

Acquisitions executive, male, Bafta voter

Which British film would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
Limbo and Saint Maud were both excellent debuts and I also loved Rocks, which was full of heart and wonderful performances.

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
My favourite by far is Limbo. Ben Sharrock’s film is just so full of heart and warmth towards his characters. It’s funny, moving and thought provoking. Humanist filmmaking at its best. I just loved it.

Who of the British talent longlisted in other categories would you like to see nominated?
The ensemble cast for Rocks deserve their own special acting award. They made the film an absolute joy to watch!

Producer 2, female, Bafta voter

Which British films would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
I’m sure Saint Maud will have a place on this list. The Father really was outstanding. Anthony Hopkins’ performance was beautiful and heart-breaking, almost unbearable to watch at times. Calm With Horses had a gripping intensity to it, I loved how you don’t know where the story is going to take you till it does, and it just builds and builds. I loved Rocks, such a sad but uplifting portrait of this really brave and strong girl processing grown -up things and the power of friendship.

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
Saint Maud, because it’s so self-assured, every detail so thought- out it feels like it comes from years of experience and maturity. His House, I didn’t actually love the viewing experience, it was too scary for me, but I kept watching for the originality. I really enjoyed Moffie a sad tale of persecution in recent history, and Mogul Mowgli - a great screenplay from Riz Ahmed with a particularly joyful last scene, on the toilet.

Who of the British talent longlisted in other categories would you like to see nominated?
Vanessa Kirby’s performance in Pieces Of A Woman is immense. A birth scene so visceral my body almost got triggered into pushing. I’d love to see acknowledgement for Morfydd Clark and Bukky Bakray. And Riz Ahmed deserves a place in the best actor category, although I’d put him in for Mogul Mowgli instead of Sound Of Metal. Hopkins gives maybe even a career best which is saying something. I also thought Ralph Fiennes was wonderful in The Dig, he constantly transforms himself, he’s a brilliant character actor. George Mackay was quite something in the brutal and bonkers True History Of The Kelly Gang.

Commissioning executive, male, Bafta and Ampas voter

Which British films would you particularly like to see nominated for outstanding British film?
The Father, for its sheer quality in front of and behind the camera. The film is a fully immersive cinematic journey that moves audiences emotionally, be they sat in a dark auditorium or on their sofa. Saint Maud announces Rose Glass as a major new British writer/director. Such a stylish debut that manages to have total control over the material while still creating a gripping and ultimately terrifying audience experience that is entirely faithful to the genre. And Promising Young Woman. I loved the big swings taken by Emerald Fennell as a writer and director which results in a funny, sexy, totally wild ride. Not all the tonal shifts work perfectly but that’s what you get with a risk-taking debut this bold that refuses to play it safe and ultimately delivers a knock-out punch in the final act.

Do you have a favourite for outstanding British debut?
Moffie, sensitively but unflinchingly told story of a young army conscript coming to terms with his sexuality in a brutal environment during apartheid-era South Africa. Director Oliver Hermanus and producer/co-writer Jack Sidey – the latter is the presumed nominee for this category – cleverly use the prejudices of a military setting to hold a mirror to the institutional racism of a toxic society.

And of the British talent longlisted in any of the other categories, who would like to see nominated and for what
Rocks. There’s a lot to love about so many aspects of this rich and authentic study of teenage girls in London that manages to be both heart-breaking and heart-warming. It would be great if Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson’s screenplay was nominated. They really capture the highs and lows of adolescent coming-of-age drama while avoiding some of the tired tropes associated with the genre. In fact, this is social realism given a radically refreshing spin which manages to retain a cinema verité feel at the same time as sustaining a really strong narrative structure.

As for the best film category, Bafta members need to stop just copy/pasting their Netflix queue and realise that this is not an either/or category which allows them to relegate UK films to the outstanding British film list as if it was a ‘runner-up’ prize. If they can see their way to nominating a Danish film in both categories (film not in the English-language and best film), then they can do the same for equally deserving British productions.

• Awards whispers: anonymous Ampas and Bafta voters on viewing this year’s contenders