Controversy Rocks BAFTAs As Persons Of Color Are Shunned In Nominations List

Some persons are not happy with the fact that the names shortlisted for the 2020 BAFTAs are all white.

Four years ago, #OscarsSoWhite trended for the same reason as those involved in the voting process ignored non-whites in their list of nominees.

In 2018, it was shown that 94 percent of BAFTA film award nominees have been white and it seems that this year, the controversy has reared up its head yet again.

In the nominations list released by BAFTA yesterday, it was observed that the shortlisted nominees (numbering 20) are entirely white. No provisions were made for films like Harriet (starring Cynthia Erivo), Eddie Murphy’s Dolemite Is My Name, and Us (Lupita Nyong’o).

The development has not gone unnoticed by social media users and a few of them have taken to Twitter to say how it makes them feel.

#BAFTASSoWhite they nominated the same white woman twice in the same category so they wouldn’t have to give a slot to a deserving actor of color.

— Jefferson Grubbs (@MrScreenAddict) January 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/adounce/status/1214453146484801537

BAFTA may not deserve to be apportioned the blame as they changed their rules to accommodate more diversity recently. Many believe that the British Academy is the cause.

A lot of persons were bewildered that great pictures like Farming and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind were snubbed and surprising enough, BAFTA acknowledged the issue, saying it too was frustrated.

We’d have liked to have seen more diversity in the nominations, it does continue to be an industry-wide issue. I think more films need to be made, and entered, giving people a chance to see them. We’d absolutely like to see more diversity, but I also don’t want to take away from those celebrating today.Emma Baehr, BAFTA’s director of Awards – hollywoodreporter.com 

With the rising concerns, something ought to be done before filmmakers, actors and fans decide to boycott the event altogether.