At the BAFTA Awards 2026, One Battle After Another led the night, winning six major awards. Paul Thomas Anderson’s counterculture comedy about a fading revolutionary protecting his daughter from a ruthless officer took home best film, best director, best cinematography, best editing, best supporting actor, and best adapted screenplay. The film, inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, had 14 nominations, more than any other contender. Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Chase Infiniti, and Teyana Taylor were recognized, with Penn taking best supporting actor for his chilling role as Colonel Steven J Lockjaw. Anderson praised his late producer, Adam Somner, who passed away in 2024. “Three weeks into our film he found out he was sick, and he made it through production. It reminds you of the privilege of this work,” he said. Anderson also celebrated the creative freedom in cinema, quoting Nina Simone: “I know what freedom is, it’s no fear. Let’s keep making things without fear.” Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller Sinners claimed three awards: best original screenplay, best original score, and best supporting actress for Wunmi Mosaku. Mosaku played a hoodoo practitioner and healer, describing the role as a connection to ancestral power and personal hope in a harsh world. Chloé Zhao’s adaptation Hamnet won two BAFTAs, including outstanding British film and best leading actress for Jessie Buckley. Buckley is the first Irish performer to win the leading actress award. Critics praised her portrayal of a grieving mother coping with the death of her 11-year-old son. She dedicated the award to her daughter, calling motherhood the “best role of my life.” In a major surprise, Robert Aramayo won best actor for I Swear, a British biopic about writer and campaigner John Davidson. He beat favorites Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, and Michael B. Jordan. Aramayo, also the EE Rising Star winner, thanked the audience emotionally. I Swear additionally won for casting. Other highlights included Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, which won three awards for costume, production, and hair and makeup, and Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier’s Norwegian drama, which took home best film not in the English language, marking the first BAFTA win for a Norwegian film. Documentary honors went to Mr Nobody Against Putin, about Russian teacher Pavel Talankin documenting war recruitment during the Ukraine invasion. Co-director David Borenstein praised Talankin’s courage and the moral power of individual action. The BAFTAs also recognized rising talent and contributions to cinema. Akinola Davies Jr won outstanding debut by a British writer, director, or producer for My Father’s Shadow, highlighting ancestral history and storytelling. Clare Binns received the BAFTA for outstanding contribution to cinema, while Donna Langley became the first Hollywood studio executive to receive the BAFTA Fellowship. Animated film honors went to Zootropolis 2. Director Jared Bush spoke about celebrating differences and storytelling’s power to inspire joy and connection. The ceremony, hosted by Alan Cumming, opened with humorous remarks on the state of cinema, including a playful jab at Disney. Cumming’s introduction set a tone celebrating creativity and resilience in film. The BAFTA Awards 2026 highlighted a mix of established talent and new voices. With One Battle After Another dominating, breakout performances by Robert Aramayo and Jessie Buckley, and strong showings from Sinners and Hamnet, this year’s ceremony celebrated both daring storytelling and human artistry in film.