Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón has been nominated for the Bafta Awards, the most prestigious awards in British cinema, in the category of Best Leading Actress for her role in the movie Emilia Pérez.
Cónclave and Emilia Pérez, with 12 and 11 nominations respectively, have dominated the British film awards announcement, with the winners set to be revealed on February 16, serving as a reliable indicator for the Oscars.
The Brutalist (nine nominations), Anora (winner at Cannes), and A Complete Unknown, about Bob Dylan's rise to fame, have also made their mark among the five contenders for Best Picture.
The Golden Globes crowned Emilia Pérez, the musical by Jacques Audiard that has established Karla Sofía Gascón as a global star, but lately the Oscars have been more influenced by the Bafta nominations.
Adrien Brody, for his portrayal of Hungarian architect László Toth in The Brutalist, and Ralph Fiennes, as Cardinal Lawrence in Cónclave, are the frontrunners in the Best Actor competition, alongside Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, and Hugh Grant in the psychological thriller Heretic.
Demi Moore stands out as the favorite in the Best Actress category with The Substance, for which she won the Golden Globe, although Karla Sofia Gascón was one of the winners at the Cannes festival for her role as the drug lord who decides to change gender in Emilia Pérez. Also nominated are Mikey Madison for Anora and Irish Saoirse Ronan for The Outrun.
The Bafta nominations have also brought special recognition to Coralie Fargeat, with five nominations for The Substance: she is the first woman nominated simultaneously for Best Director and Best Screenwriter.
Karla Sofía Gascón is not the only Spanish filmmaker nominated. The Spanish-British film Adiós, directed by José Prats, has received a nomination in the Best British Animated Short Film category.
"There is no clear favorite among the nominations, and it is very gratifying to see the diversity that has existed this year with all kinds of genres," stated Anna Higgs, head of the Bafta committee. "We have thrillers, musicals, science fiction, biopics, horror, and comedy among the top 10 most nominated films."
Higgs also highlighted the industry's "struggle" to find a gender balance, noting that this year marked a significant step forward: "One-fourth of the films were directed by women: it's not a level playing field yet, but it's a good place to start."