S Poddar
Mikey Madison’s surprise best actress victory, Emilia Pérez remaining in contention, and Bob Dylan’s biopic getting the cold shoulder—these are the most shocking and contentious moments of British cinema’s biggest night.
Conclave Wins Best Picture Over The Brutalist
Few had forecast that Edward Berger’s thriller Conclave would win the best film. It was generally expected to win outstanding British film, as it was well-placed. But best picture looked like it was going to The Brutalist, which had been universally praised by critics. A Complete Unknown was another contender, especially with the older Bafta voters, and Anora was building up as the dark horse.
And how did Conclave manage to surge ahead? Some believe that the controversy over it—especially the criticism from Vatican officials and American evangelicals, who branded it as blasphemous—could have benefited it. In a year where a bit of controversy can propel a film’s success (as it did with The Brutalist), but excessive amounts can derail it (as it did with Emilia Pérez), Conclave appeared to have found the sweet spot. Prepping for the Oscars, it’s worth noting the precedent of Berger’s last feature, All Quiet on the Western Front, seven Baftas and just four Oscars. Whether or not it’s déjà vu all over again, Conclave may still stand in Hollywood on firm ground.
Ralph Fiennes Missing Out on Best Actor
Even though Conclave took home big, its star, Ralph Fiennes, went home empty-handed. His performance as Cardinal Lawrence drove the film, his understated intensity and moral conflicts dictating much of the action. But his work didn’t have the big, showy moments that usually make for great awards-ceremony clips.
It’s a bitter disappointment for Fiennes, who has now lost his sixth Bafta. His sole victory was almost 30 years ago for Schindler’s List. Timothée Chalamet, another top contender for best actor, met the same fate—his understated performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown was also perhaps too subtle for awards voters.
Mikey Madison Shocks With Best Actress Win
Mikey Madison may not have won the public vote for the rising star award, but she stole the show with a huge upset in the best actress category. Most people expected Demi Moore’s critically acclaimed comeback in The Substance to bring her the award. Others expected Marianne Jean-Baptiste to be finally recognized for her outstanding performance in Hard Truths.
Instead, voters opted for Madison for her turn as a prostitute in Sean Baker’s Anora. Considering that Bafta membership is still largely older and traditional, this victory was not anticipated. Nevertheless, Anora has been picking up serious steam, taking top honors from both the Directors Guild and Producers Guild in America. With increasing respect for the film within the industry, it may become a legitimate Oscar contender.
Super/Man Conquers No Man’s Land
Bafta has made a name for itself for handing out tough documentaries. Recent recipients have been 20 Days in Mariupol, a chilling examination of the conflict in Ukraine, and Navalny, which explored the life of the deceased Russian opposition leader. This year, however, many predicted the award would be given to No Other Land, a highly acclaimed documentary about the devastation of the West Bank.
Instead, the prize went to Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. Although the film is certainly powerful and effective, it did not have the immediate political relevance that has marked recent winners. The choice represented a change of course for the category.
Emilia Pérez Finally Gets Recognition
Jacques Audiard’s musical crime thriller has weathered a vicious awards season, beset by scandal and bad publicity. Its Bafta nominations were welcomed as a lifeline, although few hoped it would prevail. But in a stunning reversal of fortunes, Emilia Pérez took home two awards, best film not in the English language among them.
Zoe Saldaña also won best supporting actress, indicating that she has weathered the controversy surrounding her unscathed. Whether or not Oscar voters will be so lenient remains to be determined.
The BBC Edits Out the Most Memorable Moments
In a decision that raised eyebrows, the BBC cut some of the evening’s hottest-received speeches. David Tennant made some gentle jabs at Donald Trump, such as a remark about calling him by his name three times to conjure him up. Most of his most innocuous zingers, however, survived in the final broadcast.
The network also cut a big moment with Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard. At the end of his speech, he tried to bury the hatchet with his film’s offensive star, Karla Sofía Gascón, who had derailed its awards campaign after previous insulting social media activity. Cutting these moments might not technically be censorship, but it definitely made the ceremony feel scrubbed.
Jesse Eisenberg Steals the Show
Jesse Eisenberg appeared on stage three times individually, and each time was as endearing as the previous one. In accepting the original screenplay award for A Real Pain, he was able to be both self-deprecating and sincere, calling himself a “loser” while lavishing accolades on his wife. Afterwards, when accepting Kieran Culkin’s award, he made a seamless switch from sincerity to trenchant industry observation. Lastly, in presenting the best animated feature award to Will Sharpe, he brought a category-worthy joke, not only hitting but also astutely self-promoting his own picture. For those who don’t know A Real Pain, Eisenberg’s victorious turns on stage probably engendered some new interest.
A Complete Unknown Goes Home Empty-Handed
For most of awards season, A Complete Unknown had been viewed as a possible dark horse with crossover appeal, in the same vein as Coda in recent years. That promise took a substantial blow at the Baftas, though, when the movie didn’t turn any of its six nominations into victories.
Timothée Chalamet, a rumored favorite for best actor, lost to Adrien Brody for The Brutalist despite the furor over Brody’s AI-supercharged performance. Instead of praise, Chalamet was greeted by a series of jokes from host David Tennant regarding his uncanny resemblance to other actors.
Wallace & Gromit Beats Inside Out 2
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl was always bound to be a favourite on an emotional level, having screened on BBC One in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. Nevertheless, its upset over Inside Out 2 was a shock. With Pixar’s history and with critical favorites such as Flow and The Wild Robot providing stiff competition, many thought that the studio would win the award.
Instead, Aardman’s iconic stop-motion pair won both best animated film and the first-ever family film award. Nick Park’s adorably gangly acceptance speech only served to enhance the moment, demonstrating that after almost four decades, Wallace & Gromit remain special to British hearts.
