AceShowbiz -

Hot on the heels of the 66th Golden Globe Awards celebration last Sunday, January 11, British newspaper Evening Standard announced the nominations of the 2009 Evening Standard British Film Awards. On Tuesday, January 13, it was made public that "Frost/Nixon", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Hunger" and "The Reader" are among those vying for the awards.

"Frost/Nixon" and "Hunger" were both up for the Best Film title along with Joanna Hogg-directed "Unrelated". The two had also secured a nod for Best Actor category, Michael Sheen for "Frost/Nixon" and Michael Fassbender for "Hunger". "Frost/Nixon", in addition, had collected a Best Screenplay gong for its scribbler Peter Morgan, while "Hunger" gave its editor Joe Walker a chance to win an award in the Technical Achievement field.

"Slumdog" and "The Reader", on the other hand, were competing against each other and against "Garage" for the Best Director prize. Other than that, "Slumdog" also got two other counts, the Technical Achievement nod for production designer Mark Digby and Most Promising Newcomer nom for Dev Patel. Meanwhile, "Reader" placed Kate Winslet in Best Actress competition and cinematographer Roger Deakins in Technical Achievement category.

The awards are being judged by five critics, Derek Malcolm and Charlotte O'Sullivan of the Evening Standard, Tim Robey of the Daily Telegraph, James Christopher of The Times and Catherine Shoard of The Guardian. Winners will be awarded in a private dinner hosted by Standard editor Veronica Wadley, while the public announcement of the winners will come out on February 2.

Complete nominees list of the 2009 Evening Standard British Film Awards:

Best Film:

• "Frost/Nixon"
• "Hunger"
• "Unrelated"

• Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
• Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
• Lenny Abrahamson, "Garage"

• Michael Fassbender, "Hunger"
• Michael Sheen, "Frost/Nixon"
• Pat Shortt, "Garage"

• Samantha Morton, "Mister Lonely"
• Tilda Swinton, "Julia"
• Kate Winslet, "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road"

• Roger Deakins, cinematographer of "No Country For Old Men", "In the Valley of Elah" and "The Reader" (with Chris Menges)
• Mark Digby, production designer of "Slumdog Millionaire"
• Joe Walker, editor of "Hunger" and "The Escapist"

• Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"
• Mark O'Halloran, "Garage"
• Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"

• Director Joanna Hogg, "Unrelated"
• Actor Dev Patel, "Slumdog Millionaire"
• Writer-director Rupert Wyatt, "The Escapist"

• Actress Sally Hawkins, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
• Actor Eddie Marsan, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
• Documentarist Chris Waitt, "A Complete History of My Sexual Failures"