The 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) took place on Sunday, recognising the best in global cinema over the past year. In a night filled with celebrations and surprises, Edward Berger’s Conclave and Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist emerged as the biggest winners, each securing four awards. Meanwhile, All We Imagine As Light, the much-lauded Indian entry, faced yet another setback as it lost the Best Film Not in the English Language category to Emilia Pérez.
Director Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez has been a formidable contender this awards season, clinching major accolades across ceremonies. After besting All We Imagine As Light at the Golden Globes and the Critics' Choice Awards, the French musical crime drama continued its streak at the BAFTAs. This marks the third time Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light has been outpaced by Emilia Pérez in key international competitions. The Indian film, which made history as the first from the country to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2023, was only the seventh Indian film to be nominated in this BAFTA category and the first in over a decade since The Lunchbox (2013).
Despite its dominance, Emilia Pérez has also faced controversy over resurfaced social media posts by its lead star Karla Sofia Gascón, which many deemed Islamophobic and racist. However, this did not deter its success at the BAFTAs, where it also took home Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Zoe Saldaña.
Big wins for Conclave and The Brutalist
Edward Berger's political thriller Conclave won four major awards, including Best Film and Best Adapted Screenplay for Peter Straughan. The film also triumphed in the editing category, with Nick Emerson’s work being recognized as the best of the year.
Brady Corbet’s epic period drama The Brutalist was another standout of the evening, winning Best Director for Corbet and Best Cinematography for Lol Crawley. Adrien Brody’s performance in the film earned him the Best Actor in a Leading Role award, while Daniel Blumberg secured the Best Original Score prize for his hauntingly evocative composition.
Other major winners
Mikey Madison took home Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Anora, while Kieran Culkin won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for A Real Pain. Jesse Eisenberg’s script for A Real Pain won Best Original Screenplay, solidifying the film’s standing in the race for upcoming international awards.
In the technical categories, Dune: Part Two dominated Best Sound and Best Special Visual Effects, proving its prowess in production excellence. Meanwhile, Wicked received awards for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, reinforcing its impact on the fantasy genre.
Complete List of BAFTA 2025 Winners:
- Best Film: Conclave
- Best Director: Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Mikey Madison (Anora)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Original Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain)
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan (Conclave)
- Best Animated Film: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
- Best Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
- Best Film Not in the English Language: Emilia Pérez
- Best Sound: Dune: Part Two
- Best Special Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two
- Outstanding British Film: Conclave
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Kneecap (Rich Peppiatt: Director, Writer)
- Best British Short Animation: Wander to Wonder
- Best British Short Film: Rock, Paper, Scissors
As the award season progresses, Emilia Pérez continues to be a major force, while All We Imagine As Light remains a significant milestone for Indian cinema despite its losses. With the Academy Awards looming, all eyes are on these films as they navigate the final stretch of the competitive season.
