‘One Battle After Another’ wins big at BAFTA 2026

The 79th British Academy Film Awards took place at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 23rd February ( Bangladesh time) , marking one of the key milestones in this year’s awards season. Hosted for the first time by Scottish actor Alan Cumming, the ceremony brought together leading figures from British and international cinema to honour films released in 2025.

The evening combined established names with emerging talent, reflecting both the strength of the UK industry and its growing global reach. With several closely contested categories and a wide spread of nominations, this year’s BAFTAs highlighted a competitive field and offered early signals ahead of the Oscars.

Leading the nominations, Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another" received 14 nods, followed closely by Ryan Coogler’s "Sinners" with 13. Chloé Zhao’s "Hamnet" and Josh Safdie’s "Marty Supreme" earned 11 nominations each, setting the stage for a highly competitive race.

"One Battle After Another" emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. The film also won Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, and Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, cementing its status as the most celebrated film of the evening.
Ryan Coogler’s "Sinners" made history with three wins, becoming the most awarded film by a Black director at the BAFTAs. The film secured Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku, and Original Score for Ludwig Göransson. Coogler also became the first Black winner in the Original Screenplay category, using his acceptance speech to inspire aspiring writers. “For all the writers out there, when you look at that blank page, think about the people you love, or anyone in pain you relate to, and let that love drive you,” he said.

In the technical categories, "Frankenstein" stood out, winning Costume Design, Makeup & Hair, and Production Design. Jessie Buckley won Leading Actress for "Hamnet", while Robert Aramayo claimed Leading Actor for "I Swear". Aramayo’s victory was a highlight of the night, as he also took home the EE Rising Star Award, triumphing over contenders including Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio. 

"Sentimental Value" made history as the first Norwegian film to win a BAFTA, taking home Best Film Not in the English Language, while British international feature Oscar submission "My Father’s Shadow" won Outstanding British Debut.
The ceremony featured several memorable performances, including Jessie Ware’s emotional rendition of Barbra Streisand’s "The Way We Were" during the In Memoriam tribute. The segment honoured icons such as Diane Keaton, Terence Stamp, Catherine O'Hara, Rob Reiner, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Tom Stoppard, Brigitte Bardot, Lalo Schifrin, Michael Madsen, Val Kilmer, and Indian actor Dharmendra.

India had a strong presence at this year’s BAFTAs, reflected both in its representation on stage and among the winners. Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt made her debut as a presenter, greeting the audience with a warm “Namaskar” before announcing the winner for Best Film Not in the English Language.

A significant highlight came with the Manipuri film Boong, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani and directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, which won Best Children’s & Family Film. Accepting the award, Devi spoke about the ongoing unrest in Manipur and expressed hope for peace. 

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Alia Bhatt to present at BAFTA Film Awards 2026

Here is a list of full winners:

Best Film
One Battle After Another 

Outstanding British Film
Hamnet

Director
Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)

Original Screenplay
Ryan Coogler (Sinners) 

Adapted Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) 

Leading Actress
Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)

Leading Actor
Robert Aramayo (I Swear) 

Supporting Actress
Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners)

Supporting Actor
Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)

Casting
Lauren Evans (I Swear)

Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer
My Father’s Shadow

Film Not In The English Language
Sentimental Value 

Documentary
Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Animated Film
Zootropolis 2 (Zootopia 2) 

Children’s & Family Film
Boong 

Cinematography
Michael Bauman (One Battle After Another)

Editing
Andy Jurgensen (One Battle After Another) 

Costume Design
Kate Hawley (Frankenstein)

Make Up & Hair
Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey, Mike Hill, Megan Many (Frankenstein)
 

Original Score

Ludwig Göransson (Sinners) 

Production Design
Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau (Frankenstein)

Sound
Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, Juan Peralta (F1)

Special Visual Effects
Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett, Eric Saindon (Avatar: Fire And Ash)

British Short Animation
Two Black Boys In Paradise

British Short Film
This Is Endometriosis

Ee Rising Star Award (Voted for by the public)
Robert Aramayo