The Evening Standard Film Awards — among the most independent-minded stops on the UK awards scene — have a rather circuitous way of revealing their nominees, first revealing a longlist too unruly to warrant a mention (this year’s featured “The Dictator” up for Best Film, for example), before announcing a three-per-category shortlist a couple of weeks before the ceremony.
In the midst of my Sundance travels, I missed the announcement of this year’s formal Evening Standard nominees, as determined by a select panel of London critics. But since the ceremony is tonight — and I’ll be in attendance — now would be a good time to post them. The nominees, which are restricted to British film and/or British artists, present a varied cross-section of the industry: the top category, for example, pits record-breaking blockbuster “Skyfall” against two dark indies, “Berberian Sound Studio” and “Sightseers,” whose combined budget would scarcely cover the cost of 007’s Tom Ford wardrobe. It’ll be interesting to see what comes out on top.
Daniel Day-Lewis stands to add yet another trophy to his bursting cabinet tonight, though he’s up against “Berberian” lead Toby Jones, who defeated him at the London Critics’ Circle Awards two weeks ago. Fans of Eddie Redmayne in “Les Mis,” meanwhile, will be glad to see the young Brit claim his first individual nomination of the season thus far. The Best Actress category, by contrast, is wholly indie-dominated.
Full list of nominees below. Look out for my report on the ceremony later — it tends to be a fun night. And you know by now to keep track of all the season’s awards thus far at The Circuit.
Film of the Year
“Berberian Sound Studio”
“Sightseers”
“Skyfall”
Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
Toby Jones, “Berberian Sound Studio”
Eddie Redmayne, “Les Misérables”
Best Actress
Alice Lowe, “Sightseers”
Charlotte Rampling, “I, Anna”
Andrea Riseborough, “Shadow Dancer”
Best Screenplay
Tom Bradby, “Shadow Dancer”
Malcolm Campbell, “What Richard Did”
Paul Laverty, “The Angels” Share”
London Film Museum Award for Technical Achievement
Jacqueline Durran (costume design), Sarah Greenwood (production design) and Seamus McGarvey (cinematography), “Anna Karenina”
David Raedeker (cinematography), “My Brother the Devil”
Ben Richardson (cinematography), “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Peter Sellers Award for Comedy
Chris O”Dowd (actor), “The Sapphires”
Martin McDonaugh (writer-director), “Seven Psychopaths”
Ben Wheatley (director), “Sightseers”
Most Promising Newcomer
Paul Brannigan (actor), “The Angels” Share”
Sally El Hosaini (writer-director), “My Brother the Devil”
James Floyd (actor), “My Brother the Devil”
Best Documentary
“The Imposter”
“London: The Modern Babylon”
“Marley”