None of us get nominated if Russell Crowe doesn't do the job he did in this movie

Director Ron Howard

"It hasn't changed anything about how I view my work. I'm still unsatisfied to a large degree," Crowe told reporters at the Berlin Film Festival.

A Beautiful Mind won eight nominations, including best picture, best director for Ron Howard and best supporting actress for Jennifer Connelly.

Happy Howard

Howard said he was thrilled his film had received such "broad, wonderful acknowledgement".

Howard (right) thankful to Crowe

"This is something we've been working on for years," he said.

"So to have the eight nominations, literally in every category in which we were candidates, it meant a lot to me as a director."

Howard added he owed a lot to Crowe for the film's success.

"This is a powerful movie driven by a very challenging central character," he said. "None of us get nominated if Russell Crowe doesn't do the job he did in this movie."

Connelly - who plays Nash's wife - said she felt privileged to have been involved in the film.

"I felt like I was blessed just to work on this movie," she said.

'Labour of love'

In Sweden, Nicole Kidman spoke of her pride in picking up a best actress nod.

She received it for playing Satine in Moulin Rouge, which also received eight nominations.

Kidman: 'Thrilled' at first Oscar nod

Kidman - who is filming Lars von Trier's film Dogville - said: "I've never been nominated before and I am so, so thrilled. Moulin Rouge was truly a labour of love for us all."

Fellow best actress nominee Halle Berry - the star of Monster's Ball - was one of three black actors to be named this year in the major acting categories - the most African-American nominees since 1972.

The others were Ali star Will Amith and Denzel Washington, who is the lead in Training Day.

Berry said: "Women of colour are not often there, so to be there and to represent all of us feels great."

'Thrilled'

Among the British stars to receive nominations was Tom Wilkinson, who faces Crowe in the best actor category.

He said he hoped his nomination for tragic family drama In the Bedroom would boost the low-budget film, which won five Academy nods.

Halle Berry: Representing black talent

"I hope this will encourage more people to see the film. I'm very thrilled that all our own work on In the Bedroom has been thankfully recognised," said Wilkinson.

Dame Judi Dench was nominated for the best actress Oscar for playing the older Iris Murdoch in the biographical drama Iris.

Dame Judi - who won an Oscar for her 1999 portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love - said her role as the novelist and philosopher was tough as there was no room for dramatic licence.

"In a role like Elizabeth I, you can do your own thing to some extent," said Dame Judi.

Wilkinson: Hopes movie will receive a boost

"With Iris Murdoch, I had to be very, very truthful to her and to her memory," she said. "I didn't want to feed in anything of my own and that was very difficult."

The winners will be announced on Sunday 24 March. Leading the race with 13 nominations is the fantasy adventure The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings.