KENNETH BRANAGH’S BELFAST has received six nominations in this year’s Baftas shortlist.

The writer and director’s semi-autobiographical film, starring Jude Hill, Jamie Dornan and Caitríona Balfe, focuses on a family’s struggles as the Troubles begin and has been nominated for best film.

In total, it’s scooped nominations in six categories: best film, outstanding British film, supporting actress, supporting actor, original screenplay and editing.

Reacting to the nominations, writer and director Kenneth Branagh, who is named in the best original screenplay category, said it was “an amazing tribute to a remarkable part of the world”.

He said: “This news on top of the incredible box office support from UK cinema audiences is truly fantastic. We are humbly and delightfully gobsmacked!” 

Irish actors to receive nominations in the Baftas this year include Ruth Negga, Jessie Buckley, and Caitríona Balfe and Ciarán Hinds.

In the best supporting actress category, Caitríona Balfe is nominated for her performance in Belfast while Ruth Negga is nominated for Passing and Jessie Buckley for The Lost Daughter.

Ciarán Hinds is nominated for best supporting actor for his role in Belfast.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on 13 March.

In the editing category, Belfast editor Úna Ní Dhonghaile in line for an award.

Speaking to The Journal last month, Ní Dhonghaile shared details of the process behind the film.

She said there’s “a truthfulness” to the film that she hoped people would respond to.

“For me, this is an important film about healing, and how we can move forward together and have non-denominational schools and children together,” Ní Dhonghaile said.

“There’s a lot of work to be done and inclusion on all sides.” 

Acting awards 

Benedict Cumberbatch, who stars in The Power of The Dog, is nominated in the leading actor category.

His co-stars Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee both nominated in the supporting actor category. 

Will Smith is among the first-time nominees in the performance categories this year, with a leading actor nomination for his role in King Richard, in which he stars as the father of tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams.

Also nominated in the leading actor category alongside him and Cumberbatch are Mahershala Ali for Swan Song, Adeel Akhtar for Ali & Ava, Leonardo DiCaprio for Don’t Look Up and Stephen Graham for Boiling Point. 

Other supporting actor nominees are West Side Story’s Mike Faist, Belfast’s Ciaran Hinds, Troy Kotsur for Coda and 11-year-old Woody Norman for C’mon C’mon, making him this year’s youngest nominee.

Nominees in the leading actress category include Lady Gaga for House Of Gucci, Alana Haim for Licorice Pizza, Emilia Jones for Coda, Renate Reinsve for The Worst Person In The World, Joanna Scanlan for After Love and Tessa Thompson for Passing.

Irish actresses Caitriona Balfe, Jessie Buckley and Ruth Negga are nominated in the supporting actress category for their roles in Belfast, The Lost Daughter and Passing respectively, alongside Ariana DeBose for West Side Story, Ann Dowd for Mass, and Aunjanue Ellis for King Richard.

Additional reporting by PA