The nominations for the 79th British Academy Film Awards, announced on January 27, 2026, present a picture of a film year shaped less by consensus than by contrast. Political satire, historical horror, literary adaptation and sports drama sit side by side, reflecting a voting body willing to stretch beyond its usual comfort zones without abandoning craft-led evaluation.

Photo Credit – Google
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another sits at the centre of this year’s race, emerging as the most nominated title. Its dominance spans major categories, from Best Film and Director to a strong showing across acting and technical fields. The film’s dense political framework and controlled chaos appear to have appealed to BAFTA voters who often favour precision over provocation, suggesting that Anderson’s balancing act between scale and discipline has landed as intended.

Photo Credit – Google
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners follows closely, a result that stands out not only for the number of nominations but for what the film represents within BAFTA’s history. Set in segregated America and structured as a vampire thriller, the film resists easy classification. Horror has rarely travelled this far in BAFTA’s top categories, making Sinners one of the year’s most significant inclusions. Its recognition across directing, acting and craft points to a broader reassessment of genre cinema rather than a one-off concession.

Photo Credit – Google
Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet has also secured a prominent position among this year’s contenders. Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, the film shifts attention away from Shakespeare himself and towards the domestic consequences of loss and authorship. Zhao’s approach favours emotional detail and restraint, and the film’s reception suggests that BAFTA voters responded to its refusal to dramatise history in familiar ways. Its strong showing also places it among the most visible female-directed films of the year.

Photo Credit – Google
Marty Supreme, a sports drama led by Timothée Chalamet, has matched Hamnet in overall recognition. The film’s recognition stems more from the precision of its performances and the cohesion of its narrative than from flashy effects or forced dramatics. Sports narratives have traditionally struggled to gain traction in major UK awards spaces, particularly outside technical categories, making this acknowledgment notable.
The acting nominations reflect a broad spectrum of screen work rather than a narrow definition of prestige. Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in One Battle After Another extends his long-running presence in awards conversations, while Chalamet’s inclusion reinforces his position as one of the most consistently recognised actors of his generation. Michael B. Jordan’s nomination for Sinners carries particular weight given the film’s genre framing, while Ethan Hawke and Jesse Plemons round out a category that spans independent filmmaking and studio-backed production.

Photo Credit – Google
In the leading actress race, Jessie Buckley’s work in Hamnet has been recognised for its emotional control and narrative grounding. Rose Byrne and Kate Hudson appear for performances that challenge their established screen identities, while Emma Stone’s nomination for Bugonia continues a decade marked by sustained awards visibility. Chase Infiniti’s inclusion alongside more familiar names signals BAFTA’s openness to newer performers when supported by substantial material.
Supporting categories further underline the year’s range. Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn add structural weight to One Battle After Another, while Wunmi Mosaku’s nomination for Sinners highlights the film’s ensemble strength. Paul Mescal’s appearance for Hamnet has stood out, particularly given his uneven visibility elsewhere this season, suggesting that BAFTA voters may be reassessing performances overlooked by other awards bodies.

Photo Credit – Credit
Beyond individual films and actors, the nominations point to subtle but meaningful shifts in institutional taste. Genre work has moved closer to the centre rather than remaining confined to technical recognition. British and independent productions have held their ground alongside larger international releases, and female-led storytelling has registered with unusual consistency across categories.
The ceremony, scheduled for February 22, 2026, at London’s Southbank Centre, is likely to influence how the remainder of the awards season takes shape. More than that, this year’s nominations suggest a BAFTA landscape less preoccupied with safe alignment and more willing to engage with films that challenge expectation, tone and form.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login