What Just Happened: The 2025 Bafta Film Awards saw a surprising distribution of awards, with no single film dominating. “Conclave,” a drama about electing a new Pope, and “The Brutalist,” about a Hungarian architect, tied for the most wins (four each). “Conclave” unusually won both Best Film and Best British Film. Mikey Madison unexpectedly won Best Actress for “Anora,” beating out presumed frontrunner Demi Moore. Other notable wins included Adrien Brody (Best Actor for “The Brutalist”), Zoe Saldaña (Best Supporting Actress for “Emilia Pérez”), and Kieran Culkin (Best Supporting Actor for “A Real Pain”). It was the third year without British acting winners.
So What: The Bafta results throw the upcoming Oscars race into further uncertainty. Madison’s win for Best Actress significantly boosts her chances and shakes up a previously predictable category. The shared wins across multiple films suggest a wide-open field for the Academy Awards, with no clear frontrunner emerging. The Bafta’s typically predictive power is now in question. The success of “Emilia Perez”, despite recent controversy.
Why It Matters: The Baftas are a major precursor to the Oscars, often indicating which films and performances have momentum. This year’s unpredictable results mean the Oscars are far more exciting and less predictable than usual. This creates buzz and anticipation for the awards season’s climax. It also highlights the diversity of films and performances being recognized, rather than a single dominant narrative. The event demonstrates award systems are not a perfect method of judging art.
