The Bafta's are Broke

The Baftas are Broke

This Sunday, The Orange British Academy Film Awards graces our presence with a host of British and American films hoping to get awards. Films such as The Descendants and The Artist are fighting it out for the best film gong; where as favourite to take the Academy award George Clooney has fierce competition against Brit’s Michael Fassbender and Gary Oldmen for their roles in Shame and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy respectively. 

With a few of Hollywood’s top stars looking to be there, everybody is sure to be excited? Well, quite frankly, I’m not. Why? Well the Baftas are Broke. I understand that all Award shows are biased to a certain degree, that’s the nature of the beast and I’m OK with that. But, surely the Baftas takes the cake. 

The Bafta awards are so biased towards British films that I for one have lost all interest. Normally the nominees are biased towards British films and actors. This year seems to be a bit better than others for Bafta nominees as most of the people nominated could have a case made for deserving the award. I think this is due to the fact that The Academy Awards nominations are pretty dreadful this year, so the Baftas couldn’t get much worse. 

However, what’s bad about the nominations is I already know who is going to win. I already know that George Clooney will be beat by Fassbender or Oldman; I know that Kenneth Branagh, Jim Broadbent or Christopher Plummer will win the supporting actor category and I know that Meryl Streep has a good chance of winning for her portrayal of British ex-Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. 

Why do I think these people will win? Have I acquired a secret X men ability to predict the future and have decided to use those powers to predict award shows instead of saving the world? Not quite. It’s because all the nominations I have named have the British connection. They are either British or are playing someone who is British. The rule for the Baftas is, if you’re British, you’ll have a pretty good chance. 

This shouldn’t be the case. I understand that we should support our British Heritage and build the British Film Industry, but, the Baftas are doing it wrong. Have separate categories for British films and I could see it working. But, putting British films in with every other film, then having that film win, isn’t proof that us Brits can make great films, it just makes the Baftas look like a Joke. 

It makes them look so bad, that Hollywood stars rarely turn up, making what could be a respectable showcase of British Television into a ‘who’s who’ of British actors and B list celebrities maybe with the odd superstar who got confused at the airport and ended up on our shores. 

With a few tweaks the Baftas could be great, but until they fix the bias they will remain broke. 

Until next time, enjoy the show.

Feel free to comment below. Or tweet me at @glamgrunge

Daniel Morris.