The 79th British Academy Film Awards took place on February 22, 2026, honoring the best in cinema screened in British theaters throughout 2025. The ceremony, held at the Royal Festival Hall in London, saw a shift in hosting duties with actor Alan Cumming taking the stage for the first time, succeeding David Tennant who hosted the previous two years.
Leading the nominations going into the evening was Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another with a total of 14 nods. Close behind were Ryan Coogler’s Sinners with 13 nominations, and both Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, each receiving 11. British productions also garnered recognition, with The Ballad Of Wallis Island and Pillion securing three nominations apiece, while I Swear received five.
The awards display began at 5pm in London and was broadcast on BBC One in the UK from 7pm. Viewers in the United States could watch the ceremony on the E! network starting at 8pm ET.
Key Winners at the 2026 BAFTAs
The evening celebrated a diverse range of films, and talent. Wunmi Mosaku took home the award for Supporting Actress for her performance in Sinners. Sean Penn was recognized as Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Battle After Another. Frankenstein won both the Make Up & Hair and Production Design awards.
Here’s a complete rundown of the winners across all categories:
- Best Film: Hamnet
- Director: Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
- Leading Actress: Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
- Leading Actor: Robert Aramayo – I Swear
- Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
- Supporting Actor: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
- Outstanding British Film: Hamnet
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Jack King, Hollie Bryan, Lucy Meer – The Ceremony
- Original Screenplay: I Swear
- Adapted Screenplay: The Ballad Of Wallis Island
- Children’s & Family Film: ArcoBoong
- Film Not in English Language: It Was Just An Accident
- Documentary: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
- Animated Film: Elio
- Casting: I Swear
- Cinematography: Frankenstein
- Original Score: Hamnet
- Costume Design: Wicked: For Quality
- Editing: Sinners
- Make Up & Hair: Frankenstein
- Production Design: Frankenstein
- Special Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire And Ash
- Sound: Sinners
- EE Rising Star Award: Robert Aramayo
Performances and Special Moments
The ceremony wasn’t just about the awards. The evening featured performances by KPop group Demon Hunters, with members EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI performing their song ‘Golden’. Jessie Ware also delivered a cover of a “beloved” song by Barbra Streisand during the ‘In Memoriam’ segment, honoring those lost in the film industry.
Last year’s winners, The Brutalist and Conclave, set a high bar, with the former winning Best Director and Best Actor, and the latter taking Best Film and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The 2026 BAFTA Awards showcased a strong lineup of films and talent, with Hamnet emerging as a major winner of the night. As the film industry continues to evolve, the BAFTAs remain a significant platform for recognizing and celebrating cinematic achievement.
What did you suppose of the winners? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
