The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) celebrated the best of cinema in its 77th annual film awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the Southbank Centre in London. The event was hosted by David Tennant, a former Doctor Who star and a BAFTA winner himself, who brought his charm and humour to the proceedings. The ceremony was broadcast live on BBC One and iPlayer, as well as on Britbox in North America and other platforms around the world.
The night was dominated by Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a biopic of the physicist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film won 13 awards, including best film, best director, best actor for Cillian Murphy, and best cinematography. Oppenheimer also received the most nominations, with 15 in total.
Another big winner was Poor Things, a dark comedy based on the novel by Alasdair Gray, which starred Emma Stone as a young woman who is brought back to life by a mad scientist. The film won six awards, including outstanding British film, best actress for Stone, and best adapted screenplay for Tony McNamara.
Other notable winners included Killers of the Flower Moon, a crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese, which won four awards, including best supporting actor for Robert De Niro and best original score; Saltburn, a cult hit drama about a group of teenagers who discover a mysterious substance that gives them superpowers, which won three awards, including best supporting actress for Rosamund Pike and outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer for Raine Allen-Miller; and Barbie, a live-action adaptation of the iconic doll, which won two awards, including best original screenplay for Ryan Gosling and best costume design.
The ceremony also featured some memorable moments, such as:
The tribute to Prince William, the president of BAFTA, who was absent from the event due to the family crisis caused by the departure of his brother Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle from the royal duties. Tennant praised William for his dedication and support to the film industry, and said that he hoped to see him back soon.
The speech by Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm and the producer of the Star Wars franchise, who received the BAFTA Fellowship, the highest honour of the organization. Kennedy thanked her mentors, collaborators, and family, and said that she was humbled and honoured to join the ranks of the legends who had received the award before her.
The joke by Brad Pitt, who won the best supporting actor award for his role as a stuntman in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but could not attend the ceremony due to a family obligation. He sent a message to his co-star Margot Robbie, who read it on his behalf. The message included a reference to Brexit and a quip about Prince Harry, which made the audience laugh and gasp.
The performance by Fantasia Barrino, who won the best actress award for her role as Judy Garland in the biopic Judy, but also could not attend the ceremony due to a scheduling conflict. She sang a rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the song that made Garland famous, via video link from New York. She dedicated the song to Garland and to her fans, and said that she was grateful and honoured to receive the award.
The announcement by Phoebe Dynevor, the star of the Netflix hit series Bridgerton, who revealed the winner of the EE Rising Star Award, the only award voted by the public. The award went to Sophie Wilde, a young actress who impressed the audiences with her roles in Society of the Snow and The Zone of Interest. Wilde thanked the voters, her family, and her colleagues, and said that she was thrilled and overwhelmed to receive the award.
The BAFTA Film Awards 2024 were a celebration of the diversity, creativity, and excellence of the film industry, as well as a reflection of the challenges, changes, and opportunities that it faces. The awards showcased the talent and passion of the filmmakers, actors, and technicians who brought their stories to life on the big screen, and the appreciation and admiration of the fans and critics who watched them. The awards also honoured the legacy and the future of the cinema, and the power and the magic that it holds.
