BAFTA “Tracking” L.A. Fires, Film Committee Chair Says: “We’re Supporting Members as Best We Can”
Despite the chaos of the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences‘ 97th Oscars ceremony is still scheduled to take place in Hollywood on Sunday, March 2.
But of course, the disruption caused is something that the British Academy BAFTA is also taking note of from London.
“We have a really small but mighty team at BAFTA North America,” Anna Higgs, the chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee, told THR on Wednesday as the annual BAFTA Film Awards nominations were unveiled, led by Edward Berger‘s Vatican drama Conclave. “We have an executive team there. We have members of our board, and we obviously have a lot of Academics. And first and foremost, our hearts and thoughts are with them.”
About the impact of the wildfires on BAFTA members, she added: “It’s an evolving situation, minute to minute, let alone day to day. (There are) members that are directly impacted, that might not have been able to vote in round two. We’ve communicated that they can still vote in round three. But the nature of our industry means that members sometimes can’t vote because they can’t watch the films, they’re on shoots etc.”
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Higgs shared that she is addressing the fires in a note to BAFTA members on Wednesday. “My members email that will go out with the nominations today acknowledges it and sends our thoughts and best wishes to all of our Academics that are impacted by it,” she told THR. “I have friends that have lost home so there’s a really direct relationship. It’s a close-knit community.”
Are there any plans for the BAFTA awards ceremony to address the L.A. wildfires? “The ceremony is a month away. It’s too early really to do anything,” in terms of planning, Higgs replied. “But we’re tracking the situation and supporting our BAFTA team and members out there as best we can.”
