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Leaving the disappointing result of the 35th Annual Evening Standard British Film Awards, "Atonement" received good news as the movie was announced to be the holder of six nominations at the 2008 Sony Ericsson Empire Awards. The post-war drama led the list of contenders alongside another successful British film "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" which also earned 6 nods.

The movie that was released on December 7 has been nominated for Best British Film, Best Soundtrack, Best Director for Joe Wright, Best Actress for Keira Knightley, Best Actor for James McAvoy and Best Newcomer for Saoirse Ronan. On the category of British film, the Focus Features' film is contending against "Hot Fuzz", "Sunshine", "Control" and "This Is England", while for soundtrack, it once again has to be up against "Control" aside from "Once", "Hairspray" and "Harry Potter".

In the categories of director, actor and actress, "Atonement" director and star cast will battle it up against "Harry Potter" helmer, David Yates, and two young stars, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. In the meantime, following the footsteps of "Atonement" and "Harry Potter" in nailing multiple counts, Hollywood blockbuster "The Bourne Ultimatum" and British comedy "Hot Fuzz" garnered four nominations each.

On the 2008 nominees, the Empire magazine's editor Mark Dinning commented, "Once again it's a fascinating and exciting list of nominees." He also added, "That sophisticated films such as Atonement and Zodiac can rub up against blockbusters like 300 and Transformers proves that cinema audiences are a terrific judge of movies."

The awards ceremony which will be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday, March 10, will be broadcast on ITV2 at 9 P.M.. Television presenter and model Emma Griffiths will report from the red carpet and backstage, while the gala itself will be hosted by comic Rob Brydon.

The full list of Empire Awards' nominees is as follows:

Best Film:

• "The Bourne Ultimatum"
• "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
• "Ratatouille"
• "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
• "Zodiac"

Best Comedy:

• "Superbad"
• "Hot Fuzz"
• "Knocked Up"
• "Ratatouille"
• "Run, Fat Boy, Run"

Best Horror:

• "30 Days Of Night"
• "28 Weeks Later"
• "Saw IV"
• "Death Proof"
• "1408"

Best Thriller:

• "Zodiac"
• "American Gangster"
• "Eastern Promises"
• "The Bourne Ultimatum"
• "Disturbia"

Best Sci-fi/Fantasy:

• "Sunshine"
• "Stardust"
• "Transformers"
• "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
• "300"

Best British Film:

• "Atonement"
• "Hot Fuzz"
• "Sunshine"
• "Control"
• "This Is England"

Best Director:

• Paul Greengrass, "The Bourne Ultimatum"
• Joe Wright, "Atonement"
• David Yates, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
• Edgar Wright, "Hot Fuzz"
• David Fincher, "Zodiac"

Best Actress:

• Keira Knightley, "Atonement"
• Emma Watson, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
• Katharine Heigl, "Knocked Up"
• Angelina Jolie, "A Mighty Heart"
• Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth"

Best Actor:

• Matt Damon, "The Bourne Ultimatum"
• Daniel Radcliffe, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
• James McAvoy, "Atonement"
• Simon Pegg, "Hot Fuzz"
• Gerard Butler "300"

Best Newcomer:

• Shia LaBeouf, "Transformers"
• Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
• Sam Reily, "Control"
• Thomas Turgoose, "This Is England"
• Gemma Arterton, "St. Trinian's"

Sony Ericsson Best Soundtrack:

• "Control"
• "Atonement"
• "Once"
• "Hairspray"
• "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"