‘One Battle After Another’ Dominates 2026 BAFTA Awards
Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically charged thriller, One Battle After Another, was the major victor at the 79th British Academy Film Awards, securing six prizes including Best Film and Best Director. The ceremony, held at London’s Royal Festival Hall, celebrated the best in cinema from the past year.
A Sweep for Anderson and ‘One Battle After Another’
One Battle After Another led the nominations with 14 and ultimately took home awards for Best Film, Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Michael Bauman), Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn). Notably, Sean Penn was absent to accept his first-ever BAFTA win France24.
Coogler Makes History with ‘Sinners’
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners also enjoyed a successful evening, winning three awards. Coogler secured the Best Original Screenplay award, becoming the first Black filmmaker to win in that category Yahoo Entertainment. Wunmi Mosaku won Best Supporting Actress, and Ludwig Göransson was recognized with the Best Original Score award.
Other Notable Wins
The BAFTA winners’ list also included recognition for films like Hamnet, Frankenstein, and I Swear, highlighting the diversity of talent in international cinema Yahoo Entertainment.
A Night of Firsts and Surprises
The awards ceremony featured several historic moments, including Coogler’s groundbreaking win for Best Original Screenplay and Mosaku becoming the first Black performer to win both film and television BAFTAs AwardsWatch. The event was hosted by Alan Cumming.
Key Takeaways
- One Battle After Another was the biggest winner of the night, taking home six awards.
- Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director for One Battle After Another.
- Ryan Coogler made history as the first Black filmmaker to win Best Original Screenplay.
- Wunmi Mosaku won Best Supporting Actress for Sinners.