'Avatar' gets 8 noms for British film awards

[February 04, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- Sci-fi extravaganza 'Avatar,' Iraq drama "The Hurt Locker" and coming-of-age story "An Education" have earned eight nominations apiece in the race for the British Academy Film Awards, Britain's equivalent of the Oscars.

The three films are up for best picture alongside "Up in the Air" and "Precious."

South African alien thriller "District 9" has seven nominations.

Nominations were announced Thursday and the prizes will be awarded at a ceremony at London's Royal Opera House on Feb. 21. They are considered an important indicator of prospects at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles two weeks later.

[Associated Press]

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