Brits Set For Success At The Golden Globes

The 69th Golden Globe Awards take place this Sunday in California and a wealth of British talent and London-shot productions will be up for a host of awards.
A much anticipated event that always generates industry excitement, this year sees Golden Globe-winner, Ricky Gervais, returning as host, having made an impact with his sharp-witted tongue when hosting in 2010 and 2011.
London-shot feature films, which received nominations this year, include My Week with Marilyn. Produced by Film London Chair David Parfitt, the film documents a week in the life of Marilyn Monroe while she was at the height of her career and shooting a film in the UK capital. As well as being up for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical), it's two star's, Michelle Williams as Monroe and Kenneth Branagh, as Sir Laurence Olivier, are both up for acting gongs.
Hugo, the latest release from Oscar-winning heavyweight Martin Scorsese's, was partly shot in London. The film has also scored three nominations with Best Motion Picture (Drama), Best Director and Best Original Score. Scorsese shot the film at the UK's Shepperton and Loncross Studios and in London's V&A Museum.
Nominations for Best Performance (Drama) go to Oscar favourite Meryl Streep for her convincing portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in the biopic The Iron Lady, which shot extensively in London. Brits Tilda Swinton and Kate Winslet are also cited for their roles in We Need to Talk About Kevin and Carnage (and HBO's Mildred Pierce) respectively.
Up for Best Motion Picture and Best Original Score is WWI drama, War Horse. Directed by the legendary Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg, it has an all star British cast which includes the likes of Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan and Emily Watson and was shot throughout the UK. Also nominated for Best Original Score as well as Best Song is Madonna's London-shot W.E.
Cars 2, by animation studio Pixar, which Film London supported during its research trip to the capital, has been nominated for Best Animated Feature. The film, which used London as a backdrop for one of its racing scenes includes the voices of Sir Michael Cane and Eddie Izzard. Arthur Christmas, with its stellar British cast including James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie and Jim Broadbent, to name a few, is also nominated in the same category.
There has also been much recognition for work in British television - many of which were filmed within the capital. ITV has picked up four nominations for Downton Abbey and one for Appropriate Adult. The BBC has notched up a total of five nominations for The Hour, Luther and Page Eight, suggesting British TV is proving very popular with US audiences.
The Golden Globes, funded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), recognise outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and focus wide public attention upon the best in motion pictures and television.
The Award ceremony, which is regarded as a precursor for Oscars will be screened live in HD on NBC on Sunday 15th January.
(LB)