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BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, has announced its "longlists", a rather quaint annual exercise that reduces the number of potential candidates for BAFTA Awards to 15. At the moment, in one of the key races of the awards season, the historical epic THE KING'S SPEECH and the ballet-goes-mad BLACK SWAN are tied for most mentions (to be translated in a few weeks time to most nominations). Not far behind are the films INCEPTION and THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

The Leading Actor candidates with the strongest actors branch support are Colin Firth ("The King's Speech"), James Franco ("127 Hours"), Javier Bardem ("Biutiful"), Jeff Bridges ("True Grit") and Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network"). Among Leading Actress contenders, special mention went to Carey Mulligan ("Never Let Me Go"), Michelle Williams ("Blue Valentine"), Natalie Portman ("Black Swan") and both Annette Bening and Julianne Moore for "The Kids Are All Right." At 15 selections per category (see full lists below), essentially every serious contender is included, with a few surprises. BAFTA voters placed "True Grit" ingenue Hailee Steinfeld in the Leading Actress category but put Lesley Manville from "Another Year" on the Supporting Actress list.  

In the Director race, the strongest nods went to Danny Boyle for "127 Hours," Darren Aronofsky for "Black Swan," Christopher Nolan for "Inception," Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech" and David Fincher for "The Social Network." BAFTA also announced the actual nominees for its Orange British Academy Film Awards in one category, Film Not in the English Language. Those nominees are "Biutiful," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "I Am Love," "Of Gods and Men" and Argentine Oscar winner "The Secret in Their Eyes."

The Orange British Academy Film Awards will take place on Sunday, February 13 at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden.

Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Editor

BAFTA LONGLISTS

* Most support from a particular BAFTA branch (e.g. director, actor) 

Best Film
127 Hours
Another Year
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
Made In Dagenham
Shutter Island
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

Director
127 Hours *
Alice In Wonderland
Another Year
Black Swan *
The Fighter
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Inception *
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech *
Made In Dagenham
Shutter Island
The Social Network *
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit

Leading Actor                
Aaron Eckhart (Howie) – Rabbit Hole
Ben Affleck (Doug MacRay) – The Town
Colin Firth (King George VI) – The King’s Speech *
James Franco (Aron Ralston) – 127 Hours *
Javier Bardem (Uxbal) – Biutiful *
Jeff Bridges (Marshal Reuben J Cogburn) – True Grit *
Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg) – The Social Network *
Jim Broadbent (Tom) – Another Year
Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter) – Alice In Wonderland
Leonardo DiCaprio (Cobb) – Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio (Teddy Daniels) – Shutter Island
Mark Wahlberg (Micky Ward) – The Fighter
Paul Giamatti (Barney Panofsky) – Barney’s Version
Robert Duvall (Felix Bush) – Get Low
Ryan Gosling (Dean) – Blue Valentine

Leading Actress                
Andrea Riseborough (Rose) – Brighton Rock
Annette Bening (Nic) – The Kids Are All Right *
Carey Mulligan (Kathy) – Never Let Me Go *
Gemma Arterton (Alice) – The Disappearance Of Alice Creed
Gemma Arterton (Tamara Drewe) – Tamara Drewe
Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross) – True Grit
Jennifer Lawrence (Ree) – Winter’s Bone
Julianne Moore (Jules) – The Kids Are All Right *
Michelle Williams (Cindy) – Blue Valentine *
Natalie Portman (Nina Sayers / The Swan Queen) – Black Swan *
Nicole Kidman (Becca) – Rabbit Hole
Noomi Rapace (Lisbeth Salander) – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Rosamund Pike (Miriam Grant-Panofsky) – Barney’s Version
Sally Hawkins (Rita O’Grady) – Made In Dagenham
Tilda Swinton (Emma Recchi) – I Am Love

Supporting Actress                
Amy Adams (Charlene Fleming) – The Fighter *
Barbara Hershey (Erica Sayers / The Queen) – Black Swan *
Ellen Page (Ariadne) – Inception
Geraldine James (Connie) – Made In Dagenham
Helena Bonham Carter (Queen Elizabeth) – The King’s Speech *
Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen) – Alice In Wonderland
Lesley Manville (Mary) – Another Year *
Marion Cotillard (Mal) – Inception
Melissa Leo (Alice Ward) – The Fighter
Mila Kunis (Lily / The Black Swan) – Black Swan
Miranda Richardson (Barbara Castle) – Made In Dagenham *
Olivia Williams (Ruth Lang) – The Ghost
Rebecca Hall (Claire Keesey) – The Town
Rosamund Pike (Lisa Hopkins) – Made In Dagenham
Winona Ryder (Beth Macintyre / The Dying Swan) – Black Swan

Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours *
Alice In Wonderland
Barney’s Version
Brighton Rock
Despicable Me
The Ghost
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Never Let Me Go
Rabbit Hole
Shutter Island
The Social Network *
The Town
Toy Story 3 *
True Grit *
Winter’s Bone *

Original Screenplay
Another Year
Biutiful
Black Swan *
Blue Valentine
The Disappearance Of Alice Creed
The Fighter *
Four Lions
Get Low
Hereafter
I Am Love
Inception *
The Kids Are All Right *
The King’s Speech *
Made In Dagenham
Of Gods and Men

Animated Film
Chico & Rita
Despicable Me *
How To Train Your Dragon *
Illusionist, The
Toy Story 3 *