BAFTA awards held under cloud of Ukraine war

London hosts the star-studded BAFTA film awards on Sunday with sci-fi epic "Dune" and dark Western "The Power of the Dog" leading the nominations at the red carpet event held under the cloud of the war in Ukraine.

BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar said earlier this month that "we stand in solidarity with all Ukrainian people bravely fighting for their country and we share their hope for a return to peace".

Despite the world´s sombre mood over Moscow´s ongoing onslaught, the awards will be a celebration of freedom of a different kind as they are held in person for the first time since Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Denis Villeneuve´s "Dune" and Jane Campion´s "The Power of the Dog" lead nominations at the Royal Albert Hall ceremony hosted by Australian actress Rebel Wilson, with 11 and eight nods respectively.

They are vying with homegrown-favourite Kenneth Branagh´s semi-autobiographical "Belfast", Adam McKay´s end-of-world comedy "Don´t Look Up", and Paul Thomas Anderson´s 1970s nostalgia-driven "Licorice Pizza" for the best film prize.

"Belfast" received a total of six nominations for its coming-of-age account of Northern Ireland tensions in 1969, while Daniel Craig´s final outing as James Bond in "No Time to Die" has five, as does "Licorice Pizza" and Steven Spielberg´s "West Side Story" remake.

Showbiz icon Shirley Bassey, 85, who has sung three Bond movie themes, is to open the ceremony with a celebration of 60 years of the mega-franchise.

British actress Emilia Jones, nominated for Best Actress for her role as a singing child of deaf adults in "CODA", is also to perform. (AFP)