BAFTA Awards
One Battle After Another Sweeps BAFTA 2026 With Six Major Wins
The 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards crowned One Battle After Another as the night’s biggest winner, with the offbeat political thriller claiming six major trophies, including Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson.
The explosive drama, centered on revolutionaries locked in chaotic conflict with the state, triumphed over strong contenders, including Hamnet and Sinners. The film also secured awards for Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, and Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, who portrayed a relentless military officer.
Accepting his directing award, Paul Thomas Anderson reflected on a line from Nina Simone featured in the film: “I know what freedom is: It’s no fear.” He encouraged filmmakers to continue creating boldly and without hesitation.
BAFTA Buzz Ahead of the Oscars
Often seen as a bellwether for the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs offered fresh insight into this year’s awards race ahead of Hollywood’s March ceremony. While One Battle After Another dominated in London, other films also made significant impacts.
Sinners—which leads this year’s Oscar nominations tally—won Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler, Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku, and Best Original Score.
Meanwhile, the gothic horror adaptation Frankenstein collected three awards, and Hamnet secured two, including Best British Film.
Acting Categories Deliver Surprises
The biggest surprise of the evening came in the Best Actor race, where Robert Aramayo won for his role in the indie drama I Swear. The 33-year-old outpaced high-profile nominees including Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, Ethan Hawke, and Jesse Plemons.
An emotional Robert Aramayo admitted he was stunned by the victory and praised his fellow nominees during his acceptance speech.
In the Best Actress category, Jessie Buckley claimed the honor for her portrayal of Agnes, wife of William Shakespeare, in Hamnet, directed by Chloe Zhao.
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Documentary and International Film Highlights
The Best Documentary award went to Mr Nobody Against Putin, directed by David Borenstein. The film chronicles a Russian teacher’s resistance to state propaganda following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In his remarks, Borenstein emphasized the moral choices individuals face in times of political upheaval.
The award for Best Non-English Language Film went to Sentimental Value, edging out several high-profile contenders.
Royal Presence and Special Honors
This year’s ceremony was hosted by Alan Cumming and attended by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Prince William, president of the British Academy, presented the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship to Donna Langley, studio head at NBCUniversal.
The ceremony marked one of the royal couple’s first joint public engagements in recent weeks, adding further attention to an already headline-grabbing evening.
With six wins, One Battle After Another firmly established itself as the film to beat this awards season. As momentum builds toward the Oscars, the BAFTA sweep positions Anderson’s thriller as a serious global contender.
