BAFTA 2018: The Shape of Water set to dominate awards — all you need to know, from predictions to nominations

As it falls between the Golden Globes and the Oscars, the British Academy’s choices often mirror those of its American heavyweights. The red carpet this year at the Royal Albert Hall ceremony will be a sea of black as the movement against sexual misconduct takes centre stage at the BAFTAs. Celebrities are expected to dress in black for Sunday’s ceremony to express their solidarity with the #MeToo movement.

As we look ahead to the big night, here’s all you need to know about the 2018 BAFTAs.

Who will win at the 2018 BAFTAs?

Leading the nominations pack this year is Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water, a story of love between a mute cleaning woman and a mystery merman-like creature, is leading the pack just as it has been across the Atlantic. The Cold War-era movie has 12 nominations, while crime drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Darkest Hour, about British wartime leader Winston Churchill, each have nine. All three are up for the best film award, along with another World War II drama, Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, and Luca Guadagnino’s coming-of-age romance Call Me By Your Name. But The Shape of Water looks most likely to take home the big prize. Aside from the best film and best director nods, Del Toro is up for original screenplay, Sally Hawkins is nominated as leading actress and Octavia Spencer for supporting actress. The Shape of Water will walk home with at least half of the awards for which it has been nominated.

The British-produced Three Billboards has nominations for best film, director and original screenplay for McDonagh,while Frances McDormand is up for leading actress, and Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson for best supporting actors. Gary Oldman’s turn as Churchill in Darkest Hour won him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nod, and has also made him a front-runner for a BAFTA. In the leading actor category, he is up against Timothee Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name), Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread), Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and Jamie Bell (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool). Darkest Hour has also been nominated in the best film and outstanding British film categories, while Kristin Scott Thomas is up for supporting actress for her role as Churchill’s wife Clementine.  Robbie is nominated for leading actress for I, Tonya, alongside McDormand, Hawkins, Annette Bening (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) and Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird). You can’t see past McDormand in this category.

Del Toro, Guadagnino, Nolan and Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards) are up for best director alongside Denis Villeneuve for Blade Runner 2049 — an all-male lineup that has drawn criticism, particularly this year. The Shape of Water filmmaker will most definitely win the top directorial honours.

Who is hosting the 2018 BAFTAs?

Following the departure of comedian Stephen Fry, who announced that he was stepping down after fronting the ceremony 12 times, actress-model Joanna Lumley was announced as the new host. The actress, author and activist, who starred in 2016’s Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, also features in Paddington 2, which been nominated for the Best British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor categories.

When and where is the 2018 BAFTAs?

The 2018 BAFTA award ceremony will be held on 18 February at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It will start airing at 10:30 pm IST (5pm GMT).

How can I watch the 2018 BAFTAs?

The 2018 BAFTAs will be live-streamed on the BAFTA’s official Facebook page . It will start airing at 10:30 pm IST (5pm GMT).

With inputs from agencies