Unanticipated Triumphs at the 2025 BAFTAs Stir Up Oscar Contention – Comprehensive Catalogue of Victors
Witness some unexpected triumphs at the 2025 BAFTAs with standout performances from Conclave star Mikey Madison and filmmaker Edward Berger. The BAFTA Awards, or British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Awards, proved once again that nothing is set in stone heading into the 2025 Oscars.
While Conclave led all competing titles with 12 nominations, the musical crime drama Emilia Pérez followed closely with 11. The historical epic The Brutalist came in third with nine nods. David Tennant hosted the prestigious event.
Conclave pulled off an upset, bagging the Best Film and Outstanding British Film awards at the BAFTAs. This is a significant achievement for director Edward Berger's film, marking its first major awards season victory. In recent weeks, Anora took home Best Picture honors from the Critics Choice Awards and the Producers Guild Awards. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes awarded The Brutalist as Best Motion Picture – Drama and Emilia Pérez as Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Although a BAFTA Best Film win for Conclave does not guarantee an Oscar for the film, it does bolster its chances. Only two films in the past 10 years – 2020's Nomadland and 2023's Oppenheimer – have managed to claim the Best Picture Oscar after winning at the BAFTAs.
Director Sean Baker's adult comedy, Anora, entered the BAFTAs with seven nominations, following its success at the Awards Circuit and the Directors Guild Awards. Anora marked another surprise victory with both the Best Picture and director Sean Baker's top prize at the Producers Guild Awards.
At the BAFTAs, Mikey Madison pulled off the biggest shock of the night as she took home the Best Actress trophy. Previously, Demi Moore had dominated the awards scene, securing numerous wins, including Best Actress awards at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards. Madison's BAFTA win adds an intriguing twist to the upcoming SAG Awards and 2025 Oscars in the Best Actress category.
Adrien Brody continued his awards season succeed, securing the Best Actor BAFTA for The Brutalist. Prior to the BAFTAs, Brody had already clinched the Best Actor trophy at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards, earning him a coveted spot in the Lead Actor category at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
In a different turn of events, Brady Corbet took home the Best Director BAFTA award for The Brutalist. Although he had won the Golden Globe for Best Director, he was edged out by Sean Baker at the Directors Guild Awards.
In the end, both The Brutalist and Conclave ended the night tied for the most BAFTA awards, each with four wins.
Complete BAFTA List of Winners
- Best Film: Conclave (Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman)
- Outstanding British Film: Conclave (Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman)
- Best Leading Actor: Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
- Best Leading Actress: Mikey Madison - Anora
- Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
- Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez
- Best Director: Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
- Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer: Rich Peppiatt (Director and Writer) - Kneecap'
- Best Film Not In The English Language: Emilia Pérez (Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux)
- Best Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui, Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford)
- Best Animated Film: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek)
- Best Children's and Family Film: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, Richard Beek)
- Best Original Screenplay: A Real Pain, by Jesse Eisenberg
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave, Peter Straughan
- Best Original Score: The Brutalist, by Daniel Blumberg
- Best Casting: Anora (Sean Baker and Samantha Quan)
- Best Cinematography: The Brutalist (Lol Crowley)
- Best Costume Design: Wicked (Paul Tazewell)
- Best Editing: Conclave (Nick Emerson)
- Best Production Design: Wicked (Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales)
- Makeup and Hair: The Substance (Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, Marilyne Scarselli)
- Best Sound: Dune: Part Two (Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, Gareth John, Richard King)
- Best Special Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Gerd Nefzer, Rhys Salcombe)
- Best British Short Film: Rock, Paper, Scissors (Franz Böhm, Ivan, Hayder Rothschild Hoozeer)
- Best British Short - Animation: Wander to Wonder (Nina Gantz, Stienette Bosklopper, Simon Cartwright, Maarten Swar)
- EE BAFTA Rising Star Award (Voted On By The Public): David Jonsson
At the 2025 BAFTAs, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Awards, the musical crime drama Emilia Pérez earned 11 nominations, falling just short of Conclave's 12. Adrien Brody, starring in the historical epic The Brutalist, added another accolade to his awards season success with a BAFTA win for Best Actor. However, it was Mikey Madison from Conclave who shocked everyone with her Best Actress win, outshining previous winner Demi Moore.
The Best Film and Outstanding British Film awards went to Conclave, directed by Edward Berger. This marked a significant milestone for Berger, as Conclave was his first major awards season victory. The film also clinched four BAFTA awards in total, tying with The Brutalist.
Brady Corbet, director of The Brutalist, won the Best Director BAFTA, despite being edged out by Sean Baker at the Directors Guild Awards. Meanwhile, Anora, directed by Sean Baker, scored another surprise victory, taking home the Best Picture award at the Producers Guild Awards.
In the BAFTAs winners list, The Brutalist bagged the Best Actor award for Adrien Brody, while Mikey Madison clinched the Best Actress trophy for Anora. Other notable BAFTA winners include Zoe Saldaña for Best Supporting Actress and Kieran Culkin for Best Supporting Actor, both for their performances in respective films.
In the technical categories, The Brutalist won awards for Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound, and Best Special Visual Effects. On the other hand, Anora won the Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Casting awards.
The BAFTAs concluded with awards for Best Documentary going to Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and Best Animated Film to Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Wicked bagged the Best Makeup and Hair award, and Best Children's and Family Film went to Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl as well.
In the short film categories, Rock, Paper, Scissors won the Best British Short Film award, and Wander to Wonder clinched the Best British Short - Animation award. Lastly, David Jonsson was named the EE BAFTA Rising Star Award winner, voted on by the public.
