BRITISH actors and filmmakers could bring home a haul of Oscars from this year’s glittering 87th Academy Awards ceremony, held at its traditional home – the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles – on Sunday night.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Rosamund Pike and Keira Knightley have all been nominated for their acting, while British films The Theory of Everything, Mr Turner and The Imitation Game could also garner golden gongs.
Among those hoping to be anointed legends of the silver screen will be more than 50 graduates of Bournemouth University and the Arts University who have worked on the special effects of several of the latest blockbusters.
But Dorset’s home-grown talent is not limited to the off-screen roles, with two budding actors hoping for Oscar success.
So here are six films with connections to Dorset to back at this year’s contest.
Guardians of the Galaxy
The first of four films involving Dorset computer animation specialists which have been nominated in the Best Visual Effects category.
Sci-fi comic book action adventure Guardians of the Galaxy was highly praised for its distinctive visual style and madcap effects.
Several Bournemouth University graduates worked on the film as part of the team at international firm Framestore, which has a base in the town.
The Theory of Everything
Lined up for a host of Oscars, the acclaimed Stephen Hawking biopic features two Christchurch brothers, Oliver Payne, 10, and Finlay Wright-Stephens, nine, who play the renowned astrophysicist’s children Robert and Timothy.
The pair attended Bournemouth-based Swish of the Curtain theatre school.
Interstellar
Another visual effects company with long links to Bournemouth University and graduates on its payroll is Double Negative, the largest such company in Europe.
The firm worked on Christopher Nolan space epic Interstellar, following on from its previous work with the British-American director on Inception.
The film won all the plaudits for its cinematography and effects and will likely prove a strong candidate.
The Imitation Game
Another largely British effort focused on a famous scientist, this Alan Turing biopic has been nominated in several categories.
The early part of the film covers the school days of the renowned cryptanalyst, mathematician and computer scientist at Sherborne School, regarded by some as an important influence on his later life.
He was supposedly so determined to attend the school on his first day that he rode a bike more than 60 miles from Southampton, train staff having gone on strike.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Tipped to win in the Best Visual Effects category by one visual effects expert we spoke to, the sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes was widely praised for its story and unexpected emotional punch.
Some of the credit for this must go to the ape animators, among them a number of Bournemouth graduates.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
The latest entry in the long-running comic book franchise has all the flashes and bangs audiences have come to expect from the series, and is a deserved nomination for the Best Visual Effects category.
You guessed it, former Bournemouth students are involved there as well.
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