SEAN PENN - PRESS GOES WILD FOR PENN

PRESS GOES WILD FOR PENN

Sean Penn's Into the Wild has headed the list of nominees for the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA).

The scenic drama - an adaptation of John Krakauer's book regarding the life of US vagabond Christopher McCandless - received seven nominations in yesterday's announcement.

Sean Penn was named in both the best director and best writer categories, while lead actor Emile Hirsch received a best actor nod.

Co-stars Hal Holbrook and Catherine Keener were named in their respective best supporting categories, while Eddie Vedder's Guaranteed received a nomination for the best song award.

And Into the Wild was named in the BFCA's top ten films of the year, a crucial category given that for the last five years, the BFCA's list has contained all five eventual Oscar nominees for best picture.

The other films named in the list were American Gangster, Atonement, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Juno, The Kite Runner, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd, and There Will Be Blood.

While Denzel Washington and Brad Pitt were surprising absentees in the best actor category, Michael Cera looks a favourite for the best young actor category with nominations for Juno and Superbad and Cate Blanchett's best actress nomination for Elizabeth: The Golden Age is supplemented by a best supporting actress nod for I'm Not There.

The winners of the Critics Choice awards selected by the BFCA will be announced on January 7th.