AN epic war film which was partly shot in Weymouth has been nominated for eight Oscars ahead of the 2018 Academy Awards.

The World War Two drama, Dunkirk, is up for the Best Picture Award, competing alongside Call Me By Your Name and Darkest Hour as well as Golden Globe winners The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Dunkirk, starring big names such as Sir Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Harry Styles and Cillian Murphy, turns the clock back to one of the largest evacuations in British military history, when 330,000 allied troops were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940 after being trapped by German forces.

The story is told through the eyes of a soldier and his comrades, two RAF fighter pilots and a family whose civilian boat becomes part of the hastily assembled evacuation fleet.

The arrival of the production team in Weymouth created a buzz in the town in 2016.

A large amount of the much-anticipated blockbuster was filmed on location in Weymouth harbour, and the limelight turned to the resort when director Christopher Nolan and cast members arrived to shoot the film’s scenes.

Passers-by enjoyed an exciting week watching areas of the harbour quayside transform back to 1940. Historic vehicles lined the harbour and a fleet of heritage vessels were moored along the quay wall.

Some scenes starring Harry Styles were also shot along Swanage Railway.

The highly anticipated film earned rave reviews with it being described as ‘heroically British’ and Mr Nolan’s ‘best film so far’.

It was also praised for its stripped back approach to storytelling, which involved sparse dialogue and bleak settings.

The film has been nominated for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design and Best Original Score.

It has also been nominated for eight BAFTA awards.

The 90th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday March 4.