Region makes its mark as Oscar hopefuls revealed

Yorkshire had lots to celebrate with the announcement of this year’s Oscars shortlist which is dominated by British favourite The King’s Speech.

Not only is the Colin Firth movie about King George VI’s struggles to overcome a stammer, key scenes of which were filmed in Yorkshire, nominated for more awards than any other on the shortlist but a short film by Leeds writer Tom Bidwell is also in the running for one of the honours at the 83rd Academy Awards on February 27.

The King’s Speech tops the list with nominations in 12 categories, including best supporting actress for Helena Bonham Carter for her role as Queen Elizabeth, and supporting actor for Geoffrey Rush. Also flying the flag is 127 Hours, directed by Danny Boyle, which is up for six gongs, and Welsh-born Christian Bale nominated for best supporting actor for his role as a boxer-turned-crack addict in The Fighter. Director Mike Leigh, costume designer Sandy Powell, Dido, and graffiti artist Banksy are also nominated.

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Firth’s best actor rivals are Javier Bardem for Biutiful, Jeff Bridges for True Grit, Jesse Eisenberg for Facebook movie The Social Network and James Franco for 127 Hours, while Natalie Portman is considered certain to win best actress for Black Swan, against Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) and Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine).

Bidwell’s film Wish 143 is nominated against four others in the Oscar category of Live Action Short Film. Funded by the BBC, it tells the story of a 15-year-old boy diagnosed with terminal cancer who says he wants to lose his virginity before he dies.

Bidwell, 25, is best known in his home town for the play Company Along the Mile which was performed at West Yorkshire Playhouse last year.

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