Awards Season

Conclave, The Brutalist emerge as big winners at BAFTAs

By Reel 360
February 20, 2025

The 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) took place on February 16, 2025, at London’s Royal Festival Hall, celebrating outstanding achievements in cinema from the past year. The event, hosted by David Tennant, was marked by notable wins, unexpected outcomes, and a blend of seasoned talent and rising stars.

Conclave, directed by Edward Berger, emerged as a significant victor, securing four awards, including Best Film and Outstanding British Film. The film also received accolades for Adapted Screenplay and Editing. The Brutalist, directed by Brady Corbet, matched this achievement with four awards of its own, notably Best Director for Corbet and Best Actor for Adrien Brody. The film was also recognized for its Cinematography and Original Score.

In the acting categories, Mikey Madison won Leading Actress for her role in Anora, while Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña received Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress awards for A Real Pain and Emilia Pérez, respectively. Emilia Pérez also triumphed as the Best Film Not in the English Language.

The ceremony introduced the Best Children’s & Family Film category, with Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl clinching the inaugural award. The event also honored Warwick Davis with the BAFTA Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to cinema.

Despite the night’s successes, the BAFTAs faced criticism from some quarters. Commentators highlighted concerns over the ceremony’s tone and perceived political biases, suggesting that an emphasis on “woke” culture may have overshadowed the event’s credibility.

Analyzing the BAFTA-Oscar Correlation

Historically, BAFTA results have been indicative of potential Oscar outcomes, though deviations occur. Here’s an analysis of key categories:

Conclave’s BAFTA success enhances its Oscar prospects. While The Brutalist has seemingly lost some steam, it still remains a contender while Anora’s previous showings at the DGA and PGA Awards make it a dark horse favorite as well. However, Emilia Pérez, with the highest number of Oscar nominations, remains a formidable contender.

Brady Corbet’s BAFTA win for The Brutalist positions him as a strong Oscar candidate. Yet, Jacques Audiard’s direction of Emilia Pérez and James Mangold’s work on A Complete Unknown also garnered critical acclaim. Don’t count out Sean Baker.

Check out the complete list of BAFTA winners below: