Amazing news for Sound Of Metal tonight, as it’s now been declared the best sound by the British Academy Of Film And Television Arts. Specifically, the BAFTAs—and even more specifically, the British Academy Film Awards, generally held up as the U.K. equivalent to the Oscars—granted Darius Marder’s film their Best Sound award, one of several of the more technical/craft accolades handed out during today’s opening run through the 2-day event.
In addition to Sound Of Metal, other winners at today’s award show appetizer included Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which won for both Best Makeup & Hair and Best Costumes, and Sarah Gavron’s Rocks, which took home Best Casting. Mank snagged Best Production Design for David Fincher and co.’s recreation of Hollywood in the days when the world was still in black and white, Farah Nabulsi’s The Present won best British Short Film, and animated short The Owl And The Pussycat was named best British Short Animation. Oh, and Christopher Nolan (or, rather, the visual effects team on the director’s Tenet, including Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson, and Andrew Lockley) took home Best Special Visual Effects, an award Nolan’s films also scored in 2010 (Inception) and 2014 (Interstellar).
The main BAFTA Awards, including all the big acting categories and Best Film, will broadcast tomorrow. Sound Of Metal is up for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor (for Riz Ahmed and Paul Raci, respectively), and Best Editing. (Ahmed and Raci are also up for Oscars, in the same categories; Marder’s film will similarly be vying for Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and, of course, Best Sound during the April 25th event.)