Gravity has been nominated for 11 Baftas bu “12 Years A Slave” favorite after the contenders for the awards were announced in London.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, the British star of 12 Years A Slave, is in the running for best actor.

He was among the nominations announced at Bafta’s HQ by Hobbit star Luke Evans and Helen McCrory from the Harry Potter films.

The film’s British director Steve McQueen was also recognised with a nomination.

The tale of slavery in America’s deep south is heavily tipped to do well during this year’s awards season and was also nominated for best film alongside American Hustle and space thriller Gravity.

Bookmakers made Ejiofor favourite to win his category with odds of 1-4 and 12 Years A Slave was favourite to be named best film.

Steve McQueen faces competition for the best director award from big names including Paul Greengrass and Martin Scorsese.

Ejiofor faces competition for the leading actor gong from Bruce Dern for his role in Nebraska aswell as Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

The star, who grew up in London, told Sky News: “I’m so delighted. It’s been an amazing experience for me this film. And the Bafta nomination is just an amazing and brilliant thing to happen – to get that from home is so thrilling”.

Dame Judi Dench is nominated for the leading actress award for her role in Philomena along with American Hustle’s Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Emma Thompson and Sandra Bullock for Gravity.

Comic and actor Steve Coogan is in the running for best adapted screenplay for his work with Jeff Pope on Philomena.

He said: “Philomena has been a labour of love, to make a film with the very best people, where comedy and pathos sit side by side is not easy. We all wanted to make something sincere and uncynical without being naïve.

“To have it acknowledged by Bafta is very satisfying.”

American chat show host Oprah Winfrey is up for best supporting actress for her role in The Butler.

The event, formally known as the EE British Academy Film Awards, is held in London on Sunday February 16.

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