One Battle After Another Wins Big at British Film Awards

The politically charged thriller takes home 6 prizes, including Best Picture.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The politically charged thriller One Battle After Another won six prizes, including best picture, at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, building momentum ahead of Hollywood's Academy Awards next month. Blues-steeped vampire epic Sinners and gothic horror story Frankenstein won three awards each, while Shakespearean family tragedy Hamnet won two, including best British film.

Why it matters

The BAFTA awards are a major precursor to the Oscars, so One Battle After Another's strong performance suggests it could be a frontrunner for the Academy Awards next month. The wins for films like Sinners and Frankenstein also highlight the diversity of genres and styles being recognized in the UK film industry.

The details

One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson's explosive film about a group of revolutionaries in conflict with the state, won awards for directing, adapted screenplay, cinematography and editing, as well as for Sean Penn's supporting performance. Jessie Buckley won best actress for her role in Hamnet, while Robert Aramayo's win for I Swear was considered a major upset. Sinners took home trophies for director Ryan Coogler's original screenplay, the film's musical score and for Wunmi Mosaku's supporting actress performance.

  • The British Academy Film Awards took place on Sunday, February 23, 2026.

The players

One Battle After Another

A politically charged thriller that won 6 prizes at the BAFTAs, including Best Picture.

Sinners

A blues-steeped vampire epic that won 3 awards at the BAFTAs.

Frankenstein

A gothic horror story that won 3 awards at the BAFTAs.

Hamnet

A Shakespearean family tragedy that won 2 awards at the BAFTAs, including Best British Film.

Paul Thomas Anderson

The director of One Battle After Another, which won multiple awards.

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What they’re saying

“This is very overwhelming and wonderful,”

— Paul Thomas Anderson, Director of One Battle After Another (AP)

“I know what freedom is: It's no fear,”

— Nina Simone (AP)

“Everyone in this category blows me away.”

— Robert Aramayo, Best Actor winner for I Swear (AP)

“whether it's in Russia or the streets of Minneapolis, we always face a moral choice,”

— David Borenstein, Director of Mr. Nobody Against Putin (AP)

“We need more Mr. Nobodies,”

— David Borenstein, Director of Mr. Nobody Against Putin (AP)

What’s next

The winners of the BAFTAs will now look ahead to the Academy Awards next month, where One Battle After Another is expected to be a frontrunner for major categories.

The takeaway

The strong performance of films like One Battle After Another, Sinners, and Frankenstein at the BAFTAs showcases the diversity and quality of the UK film industry, which continues to produce critically acclaimed and award-winning movies across a range of genres.