BAFTA 2020: Critics Slam Nominations; Trends #BaftassSoWhite

British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced nominations yesterday with Joaquin Phoenix-starrer Joker, one of the most controversial yet admired movies of 2019 leading with 11 nods. Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood" and "The Irishman" too is not far behind.

However, BAFTA’s all 20 nominations of white actors across Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories left netizens angry and baffled. This has sparked off criticism that the British film awards lack of diversity in its main acting categories

According to deadline.com, across over 160 nominees, there are fewer than five black nominees and a few Asian nominees. Within minutes of the announcement of the nominations, the Twitter hashtag #Baftassowhite started trending.

According to critics, many movies such as "Parasite", "Pain And Glory", "The Farewell", "Hustlers", "Harriet", "Us" and "Clemency" with non-white stars, were worthy of more nomination and recognition.

The awards ceremony this year will be held in London on Feb. 2. Some 6,500 members of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts vote on the award

Here are some of the reactions:

#BAFTASSoWhite they nominated the same white woman twice in the same category so they wouldn’t have to give a slot to a deserving actor of color.

— Jefferson Grubbs (@MrScreenAddict) January 7, 2020

justice should be served for these outstanding performances that were snubbed. #BAFTAsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/8Y2Armmd9t

— tony (@infinitestarboy) January 7, 2020

Not a SINGLE person of colour was nominated at the BAFTA's this year. They could have nominated Lupita, Awkafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Jennifer Lopez, Cynthia Erivo, Antonio Banderas, Eddie Murphy, or any one of the Parasite actors, they didn't. #BAFTAS #BaftasSoWhite

— Aayaan Upadhyaya (@Aayu17) January 7, 2020

it’s actually depressing how every few year we have to trend a ‘so white’ hashtag to get the industry to take notice instead of you know, actually making systemic change #BAFTASSoWhite

— lucy jayne ford 🆗ï¸ÂðŸ†’ï¸Â (@lucyj_ford) January 7, 2020

 BAFTA while acknowledging the issue said "We'd have liked to have seen more diversity in the nominations, it does continue to be an industry-wide issue," hollywoodreporter.com quoted BAFTA's director of awards, Emma Baehr

"I think more films need to be made, and entered, giving people a chance to see them. We'd absolutely like to see more diversity, but I also don't want to take away from those celebrating today," Baehr said.

Critics also pointed out that there is a lack of female directors in the nomination list and called it ‘disappointing’ considering excellent films this year by filmmakers like Gerwig,  Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers), and Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood).

Both the directors and the actors nominees list is highly competitive this year, featuring the usual suspects in Mendes, Scorsese, Phillips, Tarantino and Bong. In the best actor category, Phoenix will face a tough fight from Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Adam Driver (Marriage Story), Taron Egerton (Rocketman) and Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes). Renee Zellweger, this year's best actress-drama Golden Globe winner for Judy, will compete with Jesse Buckley (Wild Rose), Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story), Saoirse Ronan (Little Women) and Charlize Theron (Bombshell). The best supporting actor category is populated by acting heavy-weights like Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes), Al Pacino (The Irishman) and Joe Pesci (The Irishman) with Brad Pitt being the youngest in the list. Margot Robbie had a great year in cinema and that's reflected in the Bafta nominations where she is competing against herself in the best supporting actress category with films Bombshell and Once Upon....