‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ and ‘Collective’ Receive BAFTA Nominations

Nominations for the 2021 EE British Academy Film Awards have been announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). This year’s BAFTA Film Awards ceremony was set to take place February 14, but the organization pushed the awards to April 11 after the Academy announced it was delaying the Oscars telecast to the end of April. The BAFTAs were the first major awards ceremony to push back its 2021 ceremony date following the Oscars delay.

“This change from the previously announced date of Feb. 14 acknowledges the impact of the global pandemic and accommodates an extended eligibility period. Further details on the ceremony will be announced later in the year,” BAFTA said in a statement at the time. “The date for the 2022 Film Awards, announced last year as 13 February, is currently under consideration as part of the Awards Review, and any changes will be published once the Review has been completed, alongside other findings and recommendations.”

The BAFTAs also followed the Academy’s lead last year by announcing it would be joining the Oscars in adopting “representation and inclusion standards” for future ceremonies. Back in 2018, BAFTA became the first film awards organization to introduce diversity criteria. The group uses the BFI Diversity Standards as a requirement for eligibility for the British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer category.

The BAFTA Film Awards came under fire in 2020 for shutting out actors of color in the four acting races (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor) and only nominating male filmmakers in the Best Director race. BAFTA’s film committee chair Marc Samuelson admitted there is an “infuriating lack of diversity in the acting noms.” The organization overhauled the voting process for 2021 in an attempt to have more inclusive nominees.