LONDON (Reuters) - Space thriller "Gravity" won 11 BAFTA nominations on Wednesday, putting it just ahead of the pack at Britain's top film honors, while "12 Years a Slave" and "American Hustle" were each nominated in 10 categories.
The film, starring Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, was shortlisted in categories including best film, best actress, best director for Alfonso Cuaron, sound and visual effects, and outstanding British film.
In a highly competitive year, the pre-Civil War slavery film from British director Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave", was also nominated for best film.
That film is heading the nominations across the Atlantic for the January 12 Golden Globe awards.
Other films nominated for the BAFTA best film award were 1970s con-men caper "American Hustle", Somali pirate thriller "Captain Phillips", and the heart-tugging adoption drama "Philomena".
Best actor nominations went to Chiwetel Ejiofor in "12 Years a Slave", Christian Bale in "American Hustle", Bruce Dern in "Nebraska", Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's tale of American greed "The Wolf of Wall Street" and Tom Hanks in "Captain Phillips".
Competing alongside Bullock for best actress are Amy Adams in "American Hustle", Cate Blanchett in Woody Allen's tragic comedy "Blue Jasmine", Emma Thompson in "Saving Mr. Banks", and Judi Dench in "Philomena".
The awards ceremony for the BAFTAs, formally called the EE British Academy Film Awards, takes place in London on February 16.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, editing by Elizabeth Piper)