The 78th British Academy Film Awards are shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable, and controversial in years. With just a day to go until the ceremony, I’m making my predictions on who will win, who should win, and who got snubbed.Leading the charge with 12 nominations is Edward Berger’s Vatican-set... Read more
The 78th British Academy Film Awards are shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable, and controversial in years. With just a day to go until the ceremony, I’m making my predictions on who will win, who should win, and who got snubbed.
Leading the charge with 12 nominations is Edward Berger’s Vatican-set thriller Conclave, which features a career-best performance from Ralph Fiennes. While handsome, intelligent, and often riveting, the film loses momentum long before its limp third act. Given its lack of wins at precursor awards (aside from adapted screenplay), it seems unlikely to walk away with many trophies tomorrow.
Closely following with 11 nominations is Jacques Audiard’s genre-patchwork fiasco Emilia Pérez. It’s hard to recall a major awards contender that has generated as much discourse. Despite wins at Cannes and the Golden Globes, the film’s chances of snaring major awards were torpedoed by the bizarre antics of star Karla Sofía Gascón. Netflix, in full damage-control mode, has clawed back some credibility, likely ensuring a win for Zoe Saldaña in Supporting Actress. However, its chances in other categories are now effectively non-existent.
With Emilia Pérez out of the running, the field is wide open for Brady Corbet’s 3.5-hour opus The Brutalist, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, and Sean Baker’s Anora (which surprised everyone by picking up both the PGA and DGA on the same night) to duke it out for Best Film. My prediction is that BAFTA will reward The Brutalist for its scope, ambition, and subject matter over the infinitely spicier (and more entertaining) Anora.
BEST FILM
Who Will Win: The Brutalist
Who Should Win: Anora
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Wicked
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Who Will Win: Conclave
Who Should Win: Kneecap
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Timestalker
LEADING ACTRESS
Who Will Win: Demi Moore - The Substance
Who Should Win: Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Naomi Scott - Smile 2
LEADING ACTOR
Who Will Win: Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
Who Should Win: Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh - Kneecap
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Who Will Win: Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Perez
Who Should Win: Ariana Grande - Wicked
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Who Will Win: Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
Who Should Win: Yura Borisov - Anora
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Stanley Tucci - Conclave
BEST DIRECTOR
Who Will Win: Sean Baker - Anora
Who Should Win: Coralie Fargeat - The Substance
Who Should Have Been Nominated: John M.Chu - Wicked
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR or PRODUCER
Who Will Win: Kneecap
Who Should Win: Kneecap
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Layla - Amrou Al-Kadhi
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Who Will Win: I’m Still Here
Who Should Win: Kneecap
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Girl With The Needle
DOCUMENTARY
Who Will Win: No Other Land
Who Should Win: Will & Harper
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Porcelain War
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: Anora
Who Should Win: The Substance
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Hard Truths
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: Conclave
Who Should Win: Nickel Boys
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Dune: Part Two
The 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards ceremony will be hosted by the returning David Tennant at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall and will be broadcast at 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK.
Leading the charge with 12 nominations is Edward Berger’s Vatican-set thriller Conclave, which features a career-best performance from Ralph Fiennes. While handsome, intelligent, and often riveting, the film loses momentum long before its limp third act. Given its lack of wins at precursor awards (aside from adapted screenplay), it seems unlikely to walk away with many trophies tomorrow.
Closely following with 11 nominations is Jacques Audiard’s genre-patchwork fiasco Emilia Pérez. It’s hard to recall a major awards contender that has generated as much discourse. Despite wins at Cannes and the Golden Globes, the film’s chances of snaring major awards were torpedoed by the bizarre antics of star Karla Sofía Gascón. Netflix, in full damage-control mode, has clawed back some credibility, likely ensuring a win for Zoe Saldaña in Supporting Actress. However, its chances in other categories are now effectively non-existent.
With Emilia Pérez out of the running, the field is wide open for Brady Corbet’s 3.5-hour opus The Brutalist, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, and Sean Baker’s Anora (which surprised everyone by picking up both the PGA and DGA on the same night) to duke it out for Best Film. My prediction is that BAFTA will reward The Brutalist for its scope, ambition, and subject matter over the infinitely spicier (and more entertaining) Anora.
BEST FILM
Who Will Win: The Brutalist
Who Should Win: Anora
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Wicked
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Who Will Win: Conclave
Who Should Win: Kneecap
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Timestalker
LEADING ACTRESS
Who Will Win: Demi Moore - The Substance
Who Should Win: Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Naomi Scott - Smile 2
LEADING ACTOR
Who Will Win: Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
Who Should Win: Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh - Kneecap
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Who Will Win: Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Perez
Who Should Win: Ariana Grande - Wicked
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Who Will Win: Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
Who Should Win: Yura Borisov - Anora
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Stanley Tucci - Conclave
BEST DIRECTOR
Who Will Win: Sean Baker - Anora
Who Should Win: Coralie Fargeat - The Substance
Who Should Have Been Nominated: John M.Chu - Wicked
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR or PRODUCER
Who Will Win: Kneecap
Who Should Win: Kneecap
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Layla - Amrou Al-Kadhi
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Who Will Win: I’m Still Here
Who Should Win: Kneecap
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Girl With The Needle
DOCUMENTARY
Who Will Win: No Other Land
Who Should Win: Will & Harper
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Porcelain War
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: Anora
Who Should Win: The Substance
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Hard Truths
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: Conclave
Who Should Win: Nickel Boys
Who Should Have Been Nominated: Dune: Part Two
The 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards ceremony will be hosted by the returning David Tennant at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall and will be broadcast at 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK.
