Baftas 2026 Ceremony: A Night of Triumphs and Surprises in London
The 2026 Bafta film awards ceremony, held at the prestigious Royal Festival Hall on London's Southbank, was a glittering affair filled with memorable moments, from heartfelt wins to unexpected snacks for A-list guests. The event, which took place on Sunday, 22 February 2026, showcased the best of the film industry, with standout performances and creative achievements taking centre stage.
Key Winners and Highlights
Jessie Buckley emerged as a major winner, securing the leading actress award for her role in Hamnet. A delighted Buckley posed with her trophy, celebrating alongside the film's team, including writer Maggie O'Farrell and director Chloé Zhao, who accepted the outstanding British film award. Meanwhile, Robert Aramayo had a remarkable night, winning both the EE rising star award and the leading actor prize, sharing emotional moments with his family.
In other categories, One Battle After Another dominated, with Paul Thomas Anderson taking home the best director and best film awards, as well as the adapted screenplay prize. The film also earned Michael Bauman the cinematography award. Frankenstein proved successful in technical categories, winning production design, makeup and hair, and costume design awards, accepted by teams including Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau, Mike Hill, and Megan Many.
Special Moments and Tributes
Host Alan Cumming added a touch of humour by distributing packets of crisps and other British snacks to unsuspecting guests, including Leonardo DiCaprio, who was nominated for best actor, and Stormzy, who received his favourite, Skips. The ceremony also paid tribute to lost members of the film industry, with Jessie Ware performing the theme from The Way We Were in honour of Robert Redford.
Prince William presented the Bafta fellowship award to Dame Donna Langley, head of Universal Pictures, highlighting her contributions to cinema. Other notable wins included Zootropolis 2 for best animated film, Avatar: Fire And Ash for special visual effects, and Two Black Boys in Paradise for British short animation.
Diverse Recognition Across Categories
The awards celebrated a wide range of talents and stories. Wunmi Mosaku won best supporting actress for Sinners, while Ryan Coogler accepted the best original screenplay and original score awards for the same film. Akinola Davies Jr. received the outstanding debut award for My Father's Shadow, and the best documentary award went to Mr Nobody Against Putin, accepted by a team including Russian teacher Pavel Talankin.
Additional winners included Boong for best children's and family film, This Is Endometriosis for British short film, and Sentimental Value for best film not in the English language. The event underscored the global and inclusive nature of contemporary filmmaking, with moments of joy and reflection throughout the evening.
