The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) revealed the nominations for the 79th British Academy Film Awards today. Representing films from around the world and highlighting specific taste of British voters, the 2026 nominees include international releases and films driven by blockbuster performances alongside contenders that are both critical and commercial hits. The nominees were announced at BAFTA's headquarters in Piccadilly, London. The awards ceremony will take place on February 22, 2026, at the Royal Festival Hall, hosted by Alan Cumming.
By Allan R. Ellenberger
Paul Thomas Anderson's action-packed comedy-drama One Battle After Another leads the nominations with 14 nods, including Best Film and Best Director as well as nods for its five leads. Vampire western Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, comes in second with 13 nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and acting nods. These two films, dramatic and stylistically distinct, now anchor the BAFTA season and underscore the Academy’s appetite for bold, genre-bending storytelling.
Also prominently featured are Hamnet and Marty Supreme, each with 11 nominations, along with Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, which continues its awards momentum from other precursors. Together, these films populate the Best Film list alongside One Battle After Another and Sinners, marking a wide-ranging field where historical drama, intimate family narrative, stylistic bravado, and genre play all coexist.
In England, responses were similar in enthusiasm but had an edge of British nationalism. British film critics thought that Zhao's film felt worldly while having British tendencies. The British stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal led articles deeming Hamnet a British frontrunner despite having an American director.
London-based newspaper critics mentioned that there were a lot of nominees this year in acting and technical categories, signifying that it was a great year for film.
American reactions have been equally fervent. Hollywood trade outlets praised BAFTA for recognizing performances that were passed over by the Oscars, particularly Paul Mescal’s nomination for Hamnet and Chase Infiniti’s nod for One Battle After Another. Entertainment Weekly and other US publications described BAFTA’s selections as something of a “light correction” after the Academy Awards nominations, where a handful of critical favorites were overlooked. There’s a sense that BAFTA—while broadly aligned with the Oscars—still carves its own path when it comes to acting recognition.
Elsewhere around the world the nominations have also been received. In India, when the Manipuri film Boong received a nomination for Best Children's and Family Film, it was hailed as a victory for regional cinema. Supported by actor-producer Farhan Akhtar the nomination was picked up by various international entertainment publications as proof of BAFTA opening up to international narratives beyond Western production centers.
Yet even amid praise, there are pronounced surprises and snubs. Perhaps most talked-about is the relative absence of Wicked: For Good in major categories. Despite its commercial success and theatrical spectacle, the musical sequel only secured technical-level nominations for makeup, hair, and costume design, leaving fans online to voice bewilderment that it did not secure nominations in the acting or directing categories. This comes on the heels of its complete shutout at the Oscars, making BAFTA’s limited recognition something of a consolation.
Film critics on YouTube and movie analysis channels have made comments this year regarding the competitiveness of the field as well as BAFTA making choices that differ from popular opinion at times. Certain top reviewers/commentators on film channels praised BAFTA for allowing genre films and performances that were mostly snubbed by American awards season conversations to get recognition. They argued that BAFTA voters have different sensibilities as British film industry workers and that the organization's membership is more diverse than that of the Oscars, allowing for popular opinions to be weighed with critical consideration. Some reviewers pointed out that although One Battle After Another is currently in the lead, the movie is extremely violent and darkly comedic which may not cater to some voters when it comes time to vote. This is a notion many are predicting on social media as well.
Social media sites had near-instantaneous responses. Users in the United Kingdom celebrated what they perceived to be diversity in types of films nominated this year, referencing historical dramas such as Dickensian as well as niche films like Rachel gathers her jewels. Users in the United States highlighted that the BAFTA nominations historically predict that year's Academy Awards nominations, observing that the nominations overlap heavily this year but BAFTA has more acting nominees and nominated films such as Hamnet and Sentimental Value that have yet to be nominated by the Oscars. European, Asian, and Latin American users focused on BAFTA recognizing films that either focus on or come from non-western societies.
Industry response has been positive and reflective. Jane Millichip, Chief Executive of the BAFTA, released a statement congratulating the list. She further noted that the Academy sought to "shine a light on films that tackle real-world issues and personal family stories" while remarking on the range of films being showcased.
Others have noted that the categories span many different movie genres such as period pieces, biopics, science fiction, and romantic musicals which demonstrates that film is still healthy in 2025.
The journey to February's ceremony has officially begun, as nominations have already started making waves on awards season. Front runners for Best Film at the Oscars, One Battle After Another and Sinners have received BAFTA boosts, while both Hamnet and Marty Supreme have proven they're not to be slept on. And remember when individual performances made headlines for being snubbed by the Academy? Well thankfully BAFTA loves everything, so watch for those contenders to gain new life. Blockbusters and small films alike made the cut for nominations this year, which could mean that the BAFTAs will showcase not only the best of cinema, but the most of it.
With the ceremony scheduled for late February, the British Academy’s choices are already reverberating across continents. For filmmakers, actors, and audiences alike, these nominations offer both a celebration of the past year’s achievements and a tantalizing preview of how cinematic excellence might be crowned next.
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