LONDON, Jan 17: Kate Wins let will be competing with herself at Britain's film awards next month, winning two nominations for best actress, but Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" led the way with 14 nods in a pre-Oscar boost.
"Vera Drake", about a back-street abortionist in 1950s London, won 11 British Academy Film Awards nominations on Monday, matched by "Finding Never land", a story of J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.
Once again the BAFTAs, moved in 2001 from April to February to fall between the US Golden Globes and Oscars, are seeking to steal a little of Hollywood's limelight as the cinema awards season reaches its climax.
"There is a perception that the BAFTAs are now some sort of indicator en route to the Oscars," BAFTA chairman Duncan Kenworthy said. "The bottom line is that we want to have all nominees in the room.
If Americans stayed away it would be less exciting," added Kenworthy, producer of British cinema successes including "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Love Actually".
Wins let has been short listed for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Finding Never land", and is up against Imelda Staunton for Vera Drake, Charlize Theron ('Monster') and Ziyi Zhang ('House of Flying Daggers') in the best actress category.
"Daggers", the martial arts extravaganza directed by Yimou Zhang, is up for nine BAFTA awards. Leonardo DiCaprio, who starred alongside Wins let in the box office sensation "Titanic", was nominated as best actor for his portrayal of billionaire playboy and inventor Howard Hughes in The Aviator.
He is competing with Johnny Depp in "Finding Never land", Jamie Foxx for "Ray", Jim Carrey for "Eternal Sunshine... and Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal for": The Motorcycle Diaries". -Reuters
