The 78th BAFTA awards- considered as the biggest and the most coveted night in the UK film industry, took place on 16th February, 2025 at 7 PM GMT. The event took place at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in central London and was hosted by the Scottish actor David Tennant for the second consecutive year. BAFTA stands for British Academy of Film and Television Arts -is an independent arts charity that supports, develops, and promotes films, television, and video games in the UK and internationally. It is renowned for hosting the annual BAFTA Awards, which recognizes excellence in these fields. Additionally, the institution also provides scholarships and mentorship, and industry initiatives to nurture creative talent. It has been a leading force in the UK culture, and a global champion of creative talent for more than 75 years, possessing a rich cultural history. This year’s BAFTA celebrated outstanding achievements in cinema from the year 2024.
The nominations for the 78th BAFTA Awards were announced on January 15, 2025, with actors Mia McKenna-Bruce and Will Sharpe revealing the nominees during a live broadcast from BAFTA 195 Piccadilly in London. Prior to this long lists were released on January 3, 2025, and the nominees for the EE Rising Star Award were unveiled on January 7, 2025.
From the Indian side, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light was longlisted in three categories at BAFTAs, including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Not in the English Language. However, the film secured only one nomination in the Best Foreign Film Category. For viewers in India, the BAFTA 2025 Awards were live streamed on Lionsgate Play.
The list of the few of the winners is as follows;
Best Film: Conclave
Best Director: Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Mikey Madison (Anora)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)
Best Original Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain)
Best Animated Film: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Best Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Best Film Not in the English Language: Emilia Pérez
Best Cinematography: The Brutalist (Lol Crawley)
Best Costume Design: Wicked (Paul Tazewell)
Best Editing: Conclave (Nick Emerson)
Best Special Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Gerd Nefzer, and Rhys Salcombe)
Outstanding British Film: Conclave
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Kneecap (Rich Peppiatt: Director, Writer)
Best British Short Animation: Wander to Wonder
Best British Short Film: Rock, Paper, Scissors
Best Children’s & Family Film: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
All in all, the ceremony brought together luminaries from across the film industry to honour outstanding performances, direction and storytelling. The BAFTA (considered as the British equivalent of the Oscars) in its 2025 edition lived up to its promise of being a spectacular celebration of cinematic achievements.
