AN increase of almost 50% in nominations for this year’s Bafta Scotland awards reflects an “unprecedented” resurgence in home-grown creativity, organisers say.
The red carpet awards ceremony in Glasgow in November, hosted by Edith Bowman, will represent a high point for the film, games and television industries at a time when public interest is also at a peak.
“There has been a tremendous increase in the volume of quality content produced in Scotland and by Scottish talent over the past year,” said Bafta Scotland director Jude MacLaverty. “With TV dramas such as The Cry and The Victim as well as feature films Wild Rose and Only You among some of the brilliant pieces of drama that captured audiences’ imaginations in 2019.
“This increase in programming definitely contributed to the increase in our submissions, with entries to this year’s awards up an incredible 50% from 2018’s.
“This is not only completely unprecedented but also demonstrates the quality, vibrancy, and wealth of creative talent working in the industry in Scotland right now.”
And there are also indications that female influence is expanding across all categories and beginning to have a significant impact on the direction and perception of film and television productions.
In the Writer category, for example, the winner is guaranteed to be a woman because women have monopolised the nominations in the face of strong male competition.
It is Jacqueline Perske (The Cry), Kirsty Swain (Pure) and Nicole Taylor (Wild Rose) who will fight it out for the prize.
“It’s really heartening to see an all-female nominations list in the Writer category,” MacLaverty said. “With an increase of strong female writers it generally follows that you have strong female characters within those stories which is hugely important.”
Television drama The Cry and feature film Wild Rose have three nominations each. Comedy-drama Stan & Ollie, coming-of-age feature Beats, drama The Victim, and documentary Real Kashmir FC all received two nominations.
This year’s Actress Film category sees Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose), Shirley Henderson (Stan & Ollie) and Florence Pugh (Outlaw King) competing for the award.
READ MORE: Indyref documentary among Bafta Scotland nominees
Nominations in the the Actor Film categeory include last year’s winner Jack Lowden for his role in Mary Queen of Scots alongside Peter Mullan (The Vanishing) and Lorn Macdonald (Beats).
Those up for the Actress Television award include Morven Christie (The Bay), Jenna Coleman (The Cry) and Kelly Macdonald (The Victim). Actor Television will be contested by Richard Madden (Bodyguard), Alex Ferns (Chernobyl) and Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education).
The Writer Film/Television category is an exclusively female contest between Perske, Swain Taylor.
Wild Rose, along with Freedom Fields and Only You, is also shortlisted in the Feature Film category.
Host Edith Bowman commented: “The British Academy Scotland Awards is an exceptional event that champions the very best in creativity and production in Scotland and I am delighted to be returning to host this year.”
Gareth Hydes, commissioning editor of BBC Scotland, added: “The British Academy Scotland Awards ceremony is a glittering event in Scotland’s cultural calendar and BBC Scotland is delighted to be a part of it with its special programme showcasing the evening.
“We are part of a vibrant creative industry in Scotland and our coverage will shine a light on the talent that exists here both on and off the screen.”
This year’s Television Scripted category sees The Cry, Two Doors Down and The Victim on the final shortlist and Getting Hitched: Asian Style, Murder Case and Rogue to Wrestler nominated for the prize in the Features and Factual Series category.
Greg Clark (Real Kashmir FC), Louise Lockwood (Imagine ... Hockney, the Queen and the Royal Peculiar) and Matt Pinder (Murder Case) are shortlisted in the Director Factual category. Jon S Baird (Stan & Ollie), Johnny Kenton (Endeavour) and Brian Welsh (Beats) are nominated for Director Fiction.
Fashion’s Dirty Secrets, The Flu That Killed 50 Million and Yes/No: Inside the Indy Ref will compete in the Specialist Factual category. The Bank That Almost Broke Britain, In Sight of Home – The Iolaire and Real Kashmir FC are battling it out for best Single Documentary.
The Short Film award will be contested by the Jealous Alan, Red Hill and That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore. The Entertainment nominees are The Dog Ate My Homework, Hogmanay Live and Last Commanders.
In the Animation section, the nominees are 4:3, The Fabric of You and Love, Death & Robots – Helping Hand. Bloons Adventure Time TD, Observation and Socketeer will compete in the Game category.
All entries are shortlisted by votes of the Bafta membership and juries are made up of industry experts.
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