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   Web Issue 3275 October 11 2008   
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And the winner is ... no surprise as Myles is only one nominated
STEWART PATERSONNovember 01 2007

There will be no holding of breath as the gold envelope is opened or feigning surprise when her name is read out as the winner.

Sophia Myles can safely begin work on her acceptance speech, as she is the sole nomination and therefore winner of the Bafta Scotland Best Actress title for 2007.

Her performance in Hallam Foe was one of only two entered for the category and the only one the jury decided deserved a nomination.

Alison Forsyth, director of Bafta Scotland, bemoaned the scarcity of strong roles for women and said the shortage this year should act as a wake-up call to the industry.

She said: "Somebody should be writing a lot more parts for women.

"Bafta is an open door. We say come and enter and be judged. Does it reflect on the industry? You could say that, but you can't legislate for art. It has always been the cry of women in arts and culture to say more good parts for women'."

Angela Coates was entered, for her part in the low-budget film My Life as a Bus Stop, but was not nominated by the judging panel.

Ms Forsyth explained anyone can be entered but the Bafta panel, of around 60 judges, only nominate those deemed worthy of the award.

There has never been only one nominee for a major film category before, though three years ago there was only one nomination for Best Documentary in Television, David Peat's Gutted, about the fishing industry.

The Last King of Scotland, Hallam Foe and Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle dominated the film categories. Hallam Foe earned four nominations with The Last King of Scotland and Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle, gaining three apiece. Jamie Bell and James McAvoy are battling it out for Best Actor with Aonghas Padraig Caimbeul.

In the television awards Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill's company Effingee Productions is in line for six awards, including Still Game nominated for Best Comedy, plus Sajeev Kholi as Navid and Jane McCarry as Isa, nominated for best TV actor and actress respectively. New comedy Dear Green Place is also nominated for Effingee as are Hemphill and Kiernan as best writers and Still Game for Popular Programme.

Television presenter Lorraine Kelly, who has appeared in River City and Still Game, will host the awards ceremony on November 18 at Glasgow City Halls.

She said the single nomination for the Best Actress title was wake-up call.

"When you look at the roles for men it is really impressive, we need to make sure there's similar roles for women.

"Television is really healthy, especially factual and comedy. It would be nice if we had more in the Best Actress category next year."


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Posted by: sudokuGM, Glasgow on 7:22am Thu 1 Nov 07
An unfortunate waste of government money. Hopefully Eck will have drawn up a plan to close quangos who waste money without shame.
Posted by: George on 8:19am Thu 1 Nov 07
I know that the film Seachd had an English director, but I don't know about Hallam Foe and The Last King of Scotland.

sudokuGM

I hope we taxpayers aren't paying too much for the champagne at this Bafta bash - we've already paid £650,000 to make Seachd!
Posted by: Allie, Glasgow on 9:56am Thu 1 Nov 07
The fact is, I saw My Life as a Bus Stop, and thought it had some charming and heavily featured roles for women. I find it extraordinary that Alison Forsyth would bemoan the lack of female roles, and then ignore what was right under her nose.

Maybe, the fact is, a non funded, independent Scottish film which pokes fun at the realities of the Scottish film industry itself, was just a little too different, a little out with the system, didn't quite play by the rules, for BAFTA Scotland.

Scottish arts should celebrate its creativity, not stifle it and ignore it. I'm ashamed we have a Scottish BAFTA ceremony with all this going on. It's just ridiculous. Celebrate what we have!!! And that includes fabulous films that Hannah McGill, who used to write for The Herald, deems worthy of exposure (inc. 'My Life as a Bus Stop'). Does BAFTA not value Ms McGill's judgement? The director of the EIFF herself? What is BAFTA Scotland on about.
Posted by: C, 722-818 on 7:51pm Thu 1 Nov 07
George wrote:
I know that the film Seachd had an English director, but I don't know about Hallam Foe and The Last King of Scotland.

sudokuGM

I hope we taxpayers aren't paying too much for the champagne at this Bafta bash - we've already paid £650,000 to make Seachd!
Kevin MacDonald (Last King...) and David MacKenzie (Hallam Foe) are both Scottish, while Simon Miller who directed Seachd grew up in Scotland. Not that I see what difference it makes.

Would you rather, taxpayers money wasn't used to make quality, Scottish films?
Posted by: Joe McGlone, Glasgow on 10:58am Fri 2 Nov 07
what a shambles. Forsyth should walk for this. Why has the actress and film - My Life as a Bus Stop been named in this way - I'm sure there are strict rules governing what was entered and what wasn't. Complete and utter disgrace.

For once we have a talented young company - not playing the corporate game and making films off their own back - great films which have won awards all over the world.

As mentioned above this film was nominated for a Powell award at EIFF and why oh why wasn't it seen as a superb opportunity to support the Scottish film industry ? Put the actress up and let the company have some glory ? nope - lets kick them in the teeth and ruin everything they've worked so so hard for.

Bafta Scotland is just a shame and god knows what they do for the rest of the year. Forsyth time to resign - you're a fool.
Posted by: NicLeoid, An t-Eilean Sgiathanach on 12:25am Sun 25 Nov 07
George wrote:
I know that the film Seachd had an English director, but I don't know about Hallam Foe and The Last King of Scotland.

sudokuGM

I hope we taxpayers aren't paying too much for the champagne at this Bafta bash - we've already paid £650,000 to make Seachd!
£650,000 was a small price to pay for Seachd. It was a fantastic!

I 'd go into a whole spiel just now, on why we should see more funding given to projects like Seachd, but im in the process of writing an essay on why films should be made in Scotland, and really need to get back to it.

Ps, George! good strong English name there!
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