'Gravity' leads with 11 British Film Award nominations

LONDON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Director Alfonso Cuaron's space epic "Gravity" earned 11 nominations for British Academy Film Awards in London Wednesday.

"12 Years a Slave" and "American Hustle" are each nominated in 10 categories while "Captain Phillips" picked up nine nominations.

"Behind the Candelabra" and "Saving Mr. Banks" are each nominated five times, and "Philomena," "Rush" and "The Wolf of Wall Street" have four nominations.

Up for Best Picture are "12 Years a Slave," "American Hustle," "Captain Phillips," "Gravity" and "Philomena."

In the running for Best British Picture are "Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom," "Saving Mr. Banks," "Philomena," "The Selfish Giant," "Gravity" and "Rush."

Nominated for Best Director are Paul Greengrass for "Captain Phillips," David O. Russell for "American Hustle," Steve McQueen for "12 Years a Slave," Martin Scorsese for "The Wolf of Wall Street" and Alfonso Cuaron for "Gravity."

The nominees for Best Actor are Leonardo Dicaprio for "The Wolf of Wall Street," Christian Bale for "American Hustle," Chiwetel Ejiofor for "12 Years a Slave," Bruce Dern for "Nebraska" and Tom Hanks for "Captain Phillips."

Shortlisted for Best Actress are Amy Adams for "American Hustle," Emma Thompson for "Saving Mr. Banks," Cate Blanchett for "Blue Jasmine," Sandra Bullock for "Gravity" and Judi Dench for "Philomena."

Vying for Best Supporting Actor are Matt Damon for "Behind the Candelabra," Bradley Cooper for "American Hustle," Barkhad Abdi for "Captain Phillips," Daniel Bruhl for "Rush" and Michael Fassbender for "12 Years a Slave."

Mentioned for Best Supporting Actress are Jennifer Lawrence for "American Hustle," Julia Roberts for "August: Osage County," Lupita Nyong'O for "12 Years a Slave," Sally Hawkins for

"Blue Jasmine" and Oprah Winfrey for "Lee Daniels' The Butler."

The British Academy Film Awards ceremony is to take place on Feb. 16 at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in London. Stephen Fry is to serve as host of the event.