BAFTA Awards Showcase Potential Oscar Contenders

Politically charged thriller 'One Battle After Another' leads with six wins, while 'Sinners' and 'Frankenstein' also take home multiple awards.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 9:33pm

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The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) on Sunday night provided a glimpse of what may be destined for Oscar glory next month. The politically charged thriller 'One Battle After Another' was the big winner, taking home six prizes including Best Picture. Blues-steeped vampire epic 'Sinners' and gothic horror story 'Frankenstein' also had strong showings with three awards each, while Shakespearean family tragedy 'Hamnet' was named Best British Film. In a surprise, Robert Aramayo won Best Actor for the indie film 'I Swear', beating out stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet.

Why it matters

The BAFTAs are often seen as a bellwether for the Oscars, with many of the winners and nominees going on to success at the Academy Awards. This year's BAFTA results provide an early indication of which films and performers may be destined for Oscar glory, with 'One Battle After Another', 'Sinners', and 'Frankenstein' emerging as frontrunners. The ceremony also highlighted the serious, politically-charged themes explored in many of this year's acclaimed films.

The details

At the ceremony held at London's Royal Festival Hall, 'One Battle After Another' took home six awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn. 'Sinners' won three awards, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku. The gothic horror 'Frankenstein' also won three prizes, for Production Design, Costume Design, and Hair & Makeup. In a surprise, Robert Aramayo won Best Actor for the indie film 'I Swear', beating out more high-profile nominees. The ceremony was hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming, who noted that many of the nominated films tackled heavy themes like 'child death, racism and political violence'.

  • The BAFTA Film Awards ceremony took place on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
  • The Oscars are scheduled to be held on March 15, 2026.

The players

One Battle After Another

A politically charged thriller that won six BAFTA awards, including Best Picture.

Sinners

A blues-steeped vampire epic that won three BAFTA awards.

Frankenstein

A gothic horror story that won three BAFTA awards.

Hamnet

A Shakespearean family tragedy that was named Best British Film.

Robert Aramayo

The unexpected winner of the Best Actor BAFTA for the indie film 'I Swear'.

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What they’re saying

“This is very overwhelming and wonderful.”

— Paul Thomas Anderson, Director of 'One Battle After Another' (Associated Press)

“Watching the films this year was like taking part in a collective nervous breakdown. It's almost as though there are events going on in the real world that are influencing filmmakers.”

— Alan Cumming, BAFTA Awards Host (Associated Press)

“We need more Mr. Nobodies.”

— David Borenstein, Director of Best Documentary winner 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' (Associated Press)

What’s next

The Oscars ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 15, 2026, where many of the BAFTA winners and nominees are expected to be in the running for top honors.

The takeaway

This year's BAFTA Awards have provided an early indication of which films and performers may be destined for Oscar glory, with politically-charged dramas like 'One Battle After Another' and genre-bending works like 'Sinners' and 'Frankenstein' emerging as frontrunners. The ceremony also highlighted the serious, socially-conscious themes explored in many of 2026's acclaimed films.