"Prejudice" as Bond loses out to Lincoln on Bafta shortlists The latest James Bond film is among the contenders leading the nominations at this year's Bafta awards - but it fails to feature on the key shortlists for best feature film or best actor. Skyfall, Daniel Craig's third outing in the 007 role, and Les Miserables, the big-screen version of Cameron Mackintosh's hit musical, will battle it out with Steven Spielberg's presidential biopic Lincoln and another American film, Life of Pi, at the British Academy Film Awards next month. However, one critic said yesterday there was a historical "prejudice" against the Bond series after Skyfall failed to make the best feature film list. Skyfall picked up eight nominations, including a best supporting actress mention for Dame Judi Dench in her swansong appearance as "M" and Javier Bardem for his role as the film's main villain. The film was also shortlisted for outstanding British film, but Craig was left off the list for best actor. Other experts were left bemused after Spielberg was overlooked for the best director prize, despite Lincoln leading the field with 10 nominations. Britain's equivalent to the Oscars has unveiled its contenders just a few days before the shortlist for the Academy Awards in Hollywood is published. Both Les Miserables, which like Lincoln has yet to be released in the UK, and Ang Lee's acclaimed adaptation of Booker-winning novel Life of Pi, picked up eight Bafta nominations. Along with Skyfall and Les Miserables, other British films to do well include home-grown director Joe Wright's version of the classic Russian tragedy Anna Karenina, which scooped six nominations. However The Hobbit, Peter Jackson's latest fantasy blockbuster, was snubbed by the academy in all the main categories. And Tom Hooper, director of Les Miserables, also missed out in his category. Britain's Daniel Day-Lewis is nominated for leading actor for his uncanny embodiment of US president Abraham Lincoln, and there are supporting nominations for Sally Field as his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, and Tommy Lee Jones as abolitionist firebrand Thaddeus Stevens. Amanda Berry, Bafta's chief executive, said the ceremony was international and the race "wide open," but added: "Looking back at 2012, which was such a big year for the UK, it feels right to see Skyfall there." However, film critic Richard Mowe said he felt a historical "prejudice" by the academy had counted against Skyfall making the best film shortlist. I don't think it's anything to do with wanting to recognise American films or being against British films being nominated in that category, it's just something about the Bond films. They've never done particularly well at the Baftas. I really thought this was the year that might have changed with a director like Sam Mendes, the almost Shakespearean plot and the acting performances. Skyfall's dramatic finale is set in Scotland, while Highlands-themed Disney adventure Brave was also nominated for best animated film, up against Frankenweenie and Paranorman. Mr Mowe said the strong showing of both Skyfall and Brave would boost the industry north of the Border in the long term, with funding recently earmarked for a new studio complex in Glasgow and films set in Scotland, like World War Z, Cloud Atlas and Under the Skin still not released. Two Glasgow film-makers, Johnny Barrington and Lynne Ramsay, are competing against each other in the short film category, for Tumult and Swimmer respectively. Will Anderson, from Inverness, and Ainslie Henderson, from Edinburgh, are up for best animation short for The Making of Longbird, which has already scooped prizes at the Scottish Baftas and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Jude MacLaverty, director of Bafta in Scotland, said; "I am absolutely thrilled for Will and Ainslie. The Making of Longbird is an exceptional piece of work. Eyes on the prizes: Bafta awards list Best Film Lincoln Outstanding British Film Seven Psychopaths Outstanding Debut by British Writer, Director or Producer Bart Layton, Dimitro Doganis - The Imposter David Morris, Jacqui Morris - McCullin Dexter Fletcher, Danny King - Wild Bill James Bobin - The Muppets Tina Gharavi - I Am Nasrine Film Not in English Language Amour n Headhunters The Hunt n Rust And Bone Untouchable Documentary Marley n McCullin Animated Film Brave, Director Michael Haneke - Amour Ben Affleck - Argo Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained Ang Lee - Life Of Pi Kathryn Bigelow - Zero Dark Thirty Original Screenplay Paul Thomas Anderson - The Master Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola - Moonrise Kingdom Mark Boal - Zero Dark Thirty Adapted Screenplay Chris Terrio - Argo Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin - Beasts Of The Southern Wild David Magee - Life Of Pi, left Tony Kushner - Lincoln David O Russell - Silver Linings Playbook Leading Actor Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln Hugh Jackman Joaquin Phoenix The Master Leading Actress Emmanuelle Riva - Amour Helen Mirren - Hitchcock Jennifer Lawrence Silver Linings Playbook Jessica Chastain Marion Cotillard Rust And Bone Supporting Actor Alan Arkin - Argo Christoph Waltz Javier Bardem - Skyfall Philip Seymour Hoffman Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln Supporting Actress Amy Adams - The Master Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables Helen Hunt - The Sessions Judi Dench - Skyfall Sally Field - Lincoln Original Music Life Of Pi n Lincoln Cinematography Editing Production Design Costume Design Great Expectations Les Miserables n Lincoln Snow White And The Huntsman Make-up and Hair Hitchcock The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Sound Life Of Pi n Skyfall Special Visual Effects The Dark Knight Rises The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, right Marvel Avengers Assemble Prometheus Short Animation Here To Fall n I'm Fine Thanks The Making Of Longbird Short Film The Curse n Good Night Swimmer n Tumult The Voorman Problem THE EE Rising Star Award voted for by the public Elizabeth Olsen Andrea Riseborough Suraj Sharma Juno Temple Alicia Vikander