Oscar nominees Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench discuss collaborating on Belfast

Sir Kenneth Branagh has bagged himself another Best Director Oscar nomination, along with six nods for his film Belfast.

Among them is a Best Supporting Actress nomination for his long-time collaborator Dame Judi Dench.

There are very few film directors who have Dame Judi on speed-dial and Sir Kenneth is one of them.

They've worked together so many times on the stage and screen she no longer asks him what role he's calling her about - she will always, always say yes.

"I will never say no if he asks me, you know, if he were to ask me to play a whole army of ants I would do it. I would try," she told Newshub.

In her latest collaboration with Sir Kenneth the role she plays is much closer to his heart.

Belfast is the filmmaker's most personal film yet, the autobiographical story of his boyhood self in his hometown as it descends into chaos.

With family at its heart, Dame Judi plays his granny. I wondered after so many times working together whether they now communicate almost telepathically?

"Judi likes to arrive early and I would say you can usually tell from Judi's mood. Ii feel like it's a sort of boxer getting ready for a fight or something," said Sir Kenneth.

"It's taken me a long time to learn to leave her alone to get on with it. I can usually tell from the tone of voice - she may not say the actual words, but I hear telepathically: 'Shut up Kenny! When I need your help, I'll ask for it thank you very much!'" 

Dame Judi raised an eyebrow at that.

"That's a terrible thing to say, that's monstrous! I do what I'm told and I behave very quietly," she said.

To be sure it's hard to know which of these two legends of British cinema is telling us the truth, but one thing's for certain: They bring out the very best of one another.

New Zealand audiences can witness that for themselves as Belfast has just landed in cinemas around Aotearoa.