Awards screenings kick into high gear

There have been a few scattered "For Your Consideration" screenings here in London already, but they're now starting to come fast and furious.

This weekend alone, there are screenings of Nanny McPhee, Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit, Corpse Bride, March of the Penguins, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Batman Begins. I've seen Batman Begins, and don't have any particular interest in Nanny McPhee, but I'm looking forward to seeing all the others. I'm not sure I'll make to any of this weekend's screenings, but there's always next weekend... (This weekend's "Wallace & Gromit" screening, by the way, is clearly aimed at Academy members with kids--it's on a Sunday morning, they're giving out four tickets per member instead of the usual two, and they're promising an opportunity to "meet the costume characters and have your photo taken with them.")

Of course, not every distributor can afford to rent out West End venues for multiple screenings. The distributors of Le Grand Voyage send out an e-mail reminder of two upcoming Academy screenings, adding, "We are sure you are aware of the considerable costs involved in providing free screenings to BAFTA members. As a small independent distributor, we regret that-- apart from the Academy screenings above--we will be unable to offer any further free screenings to members, as the expense is simply too great." I'm very sympathetic to this, and I plan on seeing the film at one of the two screenings.