By Sara Bright
The 2025 EE British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA 2025), hosted by David Tennant at London’s Royal Festival Hall, delivered a night of predictable upsets and poetic vindications. Edward Berger’s papal thriller Conclave and Jacques Audiard’s gender-bending musical Emilia Pérez emerged as dual titans, claiming six awards collectively, while fashion took a refined turn towards timeless elegance. As the final precursor to the Oscars, BAFTA’s choices signal a shift toward politically charged narratives and audacious artistry.
Best Film and Director Surprises
Conclave, a gripping exploration of Vatican intrigue starring Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal navigating papal succession, clinched Best Film and Best Adapted Screenplay. Berger’s taut direction, praised for merging procedural suspense with moral ambiguity, triumphed over Sean Baker’s anarchic comedy Anora and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two. In a shock upset, Brady Corbet claimed Best Director for The Brutalist, a Kafkaesque biopic of a modernist architect (Adrien Brody), beating Berger and Audiard. The win underscores BAFTA’s appetite for auteur-driven provocations.
Acting Categories Reflect Depth
Mickey Madison’s raw portrayal of a Brooklyn stripper in Anora earned her Best Actress, edging out Demi Moore’s transformative role in body-horror satire The Substance. Adrien Brody secured Best Actor for The Brutalist, his first BAFTA since The Pianist (2003), embodying an artist’s descent into obsession. Supporting honours went to Zoë Saldaña (Emilia Pérez) as a cartel wife turned fugitive, and Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), whose wry humour masked existential grief.
International Films Shine Bright
Emilia Pérez, Audiard’s Spanish-language musical about a Mexican drug lord undergoing gender transition, dominated the Best Non-English Language Film category. Carla Sofía Gascón’s fearless performance as the titular antiheroine, paired with a pulsating Camille-Clementine Duo score, redefined the musical genre. Ireland’s Kneecap, a raucous biopic of Belfast’s Gaelic rap trio, claimed Outstanding British Film, celebrating linguistic rebellion against post-Troubles tensions.
Technical Craftsmanship Celebrated
Dune: Part Two swept technical categories, including Cinematography (Greig Fraser), Visual Effects, and Sound, cementing Villeneuve’s vision as a benchmark for sci-fi grandeur. The Substance earned Best Makeup & Hair for its grotesque ageing prosthetics, while Emilia Pérez’s gender-fluid costuming by Pascaline Chavanne won Best Costume Design.
Fashion’s Return to Refinement
Red carpet frivolity gave way to subdued sophistication. Lupita Nyong’o’s champagne-hued Chanel gown, with its cascading sequins, epitomised “quiet luxury,” while Saoirse Ronan’s silver-tiered Rodarte dress evoked Old Hollywood grace. Custom tailoring ruled: Selena Gomez’s Schiaparelli column gown, embroidered with celestial motifs, and Demi Moore’s mermaid-tail Alexander McQueen piece showcased bespoke craftsmanship. Notably absent were viral “naked dresses” and meme-worthy mishaps, replaced by muted palettes and architectural silhouettes.
Rising Stars and Documentaries
EE Rising Star winner Mia McKenna-Bruce (How to Have Sex) charmed in a lavender Vivienne Westwood mini, embodying Gen-Z’s blend of irreverence and idealism. Best Documentary went to Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, a poignant chronicle of resilience, while Will & Harper – detailing Will Ferrell’s road trip with transgender friend Harper Steele – won hearts for its humour and humanity.
Implications for Oscar Night
BAFTA’s embrace of Conclave and Emilia Pérez positions both as Oscar frontrunners, though The Brutalist’s surprise director win suggests a fractured consensus. With 18 overlapping categories, the Academy may echo Britain’s preference for narratives interrogating power and identity. Yet as Tennant quipped, “If the Oscars snub Wallace & Gromit, we riot” – a nod to Aardman’s Best Animated Film win, proving Britain’s loyalty to its claymation legends.
As the champagne flutes emptied, BAFTA 2025 affirmed cinema’s dual role: a mirror to society’s fractures and a canvas for its boldest dreams. The world now turns to Hollywood, awaiting the final act.
