Bristol bids for glory at Oscars this weekend

FOUR men with Bristol connections are hoping it will be their names in lights at the Oscars on Sunday.

An actor, film writer and producer, director and make-up expert who all live, or used to live, in the Bristol area have their fingers crossed ahead of the 85th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

Leading the pack is Daniel Day-Lewis, a former Bristol Old Vic Theatre School student.

He is nominated in the Actor In a Leading Role category for his portrayal of former American president Abraham Lincoln, in the box office hit Lincoln.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

The film, a historical drama, is also in the running to win the coveted Best Picture award.

Bristol favourites Aardman are also represented at the Oscars, with their film Pirates! An Adventure With Scientists shortlisted in the Animated Feature Film section.

Co-founder of the company Peter Lord is in California to represent Aardman, who have won Oscars in the past for films such as The Wrong Trousers in 1993 and A Close Shave in 1995.

When screened in America, the film has a different name: Pirates! Band of Misfits.

Now based in LA, but a Bristol boy by birth, Martin Roe's 30-minute film Buzkashi Boys is nominated in the Short Film category.

Mr Roe, who described himself as being raised in Gloucester Road pub the Golden Lion, made the film about two best friends growing up in the war-torn streets of Afghanistan.

Educated at St Ursula's and Bristol Cathedral School, the 34 year-old says he fell in love with theatre and film when he went to Somerville College at Oxford University in 1997.

He then decided to dedicate his life to films, and applied to study film in the US, taking out big loans to pay for it, and moved to Los Angeles despite not knowing anyone there.

Peter Swords King, of Peasedown St John, was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the Hobbit film.

Mr Swords King spent two years at the centre of the filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

He was responsible for designing all the characters in the film, including Gandalf, Gollum and Thorin.

Mr Swords King was nominated for his ninth Bafta this year, but it's the first time he has been nominated for a Bafta and Oscar in the same year.

He said: "I was a Tolkien fan before doing the films, and had read Lord of the Rings three times. When I was at primary school, my teacher read The Hobbit to me, and I really enjoyed it.

"I never thought I would end up working on the film."

His career has spanned 36 years, working on such films as Nanny McPhee, Thunderbirds, Little Voice, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Avengers.