Bafta nominees announced

The sparkle was supplied at Bafta at a bleary eyed 7.45 in morning by two British actresses - many people probably couldn't put a name too - Kelly Reilly was in Mrs Henderson Presents. Naomie Harris was in Pirates of the Caribbean.

In what is for now a numbers game, Atonement leads the pack - with 14 nominations.

Given it's British - it was produced by Working Title - it would be quite a surprise if it wasn't made best film. BAFTA's 6000 members inevitably have something of a British bias.

Keira Knightley is nominated as best actress for the first time. She was previously ignored for ride and Prejudice in 2006.

She's pretty unlikely to win - she's in the same category as Julie Christie in Away from Her - playing an Alzheimer's sufferer. And Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose.

Favourite for lead actor must be Daniel Day Lewis in P.T Anderson's There will be Blood.

He's already snaffled a Golden Globe - and is a strong Oscar contender. The film has nine Bafta nominations.

For the second time in recent history, BAFTA has nominated an actor posthumously. Ulrich Muhe - from the German film, the Lives of Others - died of cancer last year. No Country for Old Men, the Coen brothers at their best, collects 9 nominations.

Javier Bardem's performance as a psychotic killer, with a bad haircut, gets a supporting actor nod.

The Baftas don't really tell us much about what to expect at the Oscars. Most members didn't get to see Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd - and so couldn't vote for it.

But Bafta does guarantee us an award show and what with the writers' strike, in Hollywood, you can't say that about the Oscars.

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