Cornish film up against Hollywood blockbusters as it's nominated for best British film at Baftas

A Cornish film depicting growing tensions between locals and tourists in an old fishing village has been nominated for two Bafta awards.

Bait, which is set in Charlestown and West Penwith, tells the story of a fishing community facing change as it battles with an influx of tourists.

It has been nominated alongside the Elton John biopic Rocketman and First World War Drama 1917 in the Outstanding British Film category.

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Mark Jenkin, the Cornish film-maker behind the celebrated movie, has also been nominated for an outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.

Bait was released in UK cinemas in August 2019 and quickly became one of Cornwall's most successful films ever made.

The low-budget film in black and white took more than £300,000 in ticket sales and remained in the UK box office Top 30 until October.

Writing in That Guardian, Mark Kermode - one of the country’s leading film critics - labelled it his 'favourite film of 2019'.

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The film features a modern-day Cornish fisherman called Martin (played by Edward Rowe) who is struggling to buy a boat while simultaneously juggling a family rift with tourism, stag parties and the arrival of Airbnb in his traditional harbour village.

When tensions between locals and newcomers reach boiling point, it has catastrophic consequences.

The Baftas are being held on February 2.