'In Bruges' and 'Hunger' secure Bafta nominations

In Brugesand Hungercarry Irish interest among the Bafta film nominees announced today in a field dominated by Slumdog Millionaire.

Martin McDonagh's comedy-thriller In Bruges, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, was given four nominations, including one for Outstanding British Film and Supporting Actor for Gleeson.

McDonagh was given a nomination for the Original Screenplay category, and Jon Gregory secured a nod in the Editing category.

Gleeson's co-star Farrell recently won Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) for In Brugesat the Golden Globes.

Steve McQueen's film Hunger, starring Michael Fassbender as hunger striker Bobby Sands, was also nominated in the Outstanding British Film category. McQueen was nominated in a special achievement category for a first feature film, and Fassbender is in the running for a Bafta rising star award, which is voted for by the public.

Last week Hungersecured eight Irish Film and Television Awards nominations.

However, director Danny Boyle's low-budget Indian drama Slumdog Millionaireleads the Bafta field with 11 nominations, building on its success at the recent Golden Globes - where it won the four awards it was nominated for - and giving it a further impetus ahead of the Oscars next month.

The film, which tells the story of a young man from the slums of Mumbai who seeks wealth and love on a television game show, also led the field at the Golden Globes in the United States earlier this month.

It was tied at the top of the Bafta nominations with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt, followed by Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight, which won nine nominations, and Clint Eastwood's drama Changeling, which won eight.

Frost/Nixonhas six nominations, The Readerfive and In Bruges, Milkand Revolutionary Roadhave four each, organisers of the Orange British Academy Film Awards said.

Among the other nominations, the late Heath Ledger is nominated for a supporting actor award for The Dark Knight, after he won the same category at the Golden Globes. Kate Winslet is competing against herself in the best actress category for The Readerand Revolutionary Road.

The Baftas will be awarded in London on February 8th and will be hosted by Jonathan Ross, a fortnight after the BBC lifts his suspension over the Andrew Sachs phone calls row.

Ross used his page on the social networking website Twitter to invite public suggestions for an unlikely word he could incorporate into his Bafta routine. He wrote: “Thanks for Bafta suggestions. Will whittle them down to a top three then slip one in.”

Additional reporting - Agencies