LONDON — The 78th British Academy Film Awards held on Sunday honored the papal drama “Conclave,” which secured four accolades, including its title of Best Picture. Meanwhile, the innovative musical “Emilia Pérez” continued to assert its status as an award contender despite facing considerable backlash that seemed to threaten its recognition.
At this year’s ceremony, no single film eclipsed the others, as “The Brutalist” matched “Conclave” by also winning four awards, among them Best Director for Brady Corbet and Best Actor for Adrien Brody. The award for Best Actress went to Mikey Madison for her role in the Brooklyn tragicomedy “Anora.”
“Conclave,” featuring Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal rallying ambitious clergy members to select a new pope, outshone contenders like “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” “Emilia Pérez,” and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” for the coveted top honor. The film was additionally recognized as Outstanding British Film, taking home awards for editing and adapted screenplay.
Kieran Culkin earned the Supporting Actor prize for his performance in “A Real Pain,” while Zoe Saldaña was awarded Supporting Actress for her role in “Emilia Pérez.” The latter also received recognition as the Best Film Not in the English Language.
Karla Sofía Gascón, who plays the lead role of a transgender former cartel leader in “Emilia Pérez,” was nominated for Best Actress but was absent from the event. Gascón has distanced herself from promoting the film, which boasts 13 Oscar nominations, following controversies surrounding her remarks on social media about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity efforts at the Oscars. Director Jacques Audiard criticized her comments but expressed his gratitude to Gascón and her co-stars during his acceptance speech, stating, “I am deeply proud of what we have all achieved together.”
The BAFTAs, often seen as a precursor to the Academy Awards, were attended by numerous stars including Cynthia Erivo, Hugh Grant, Ariana Grande, Lupita Nyong’o, Timothée Chalamet, and Saoirse Ronan, who walked the red carpet at the Royal Festival Hall in London. This year’s awards season presents a particularly challenging environment for prognostication as the Academy Awards approach on March 2.
The ceremony was notably British in flavor, beginning with the host, Scottish actor David Tennant, leading a spirited singalong of the Proclaimers’ popular song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” Mikey Madison’s powerful portrayal as an exotic dancer involved with a Russian oligarch’s son in “Anora” ultimately won her the Best Actress award. She triumphed over nominees including Gascón, Demi Moore for “The Substance,” Ronan for “The Outrun,” Erivo for “Wicked,” and Marianne Jean-Baptiste for “Hard Truths.”
Madison took the opportunity during her acceptance speech to advocate for the sex worker community, affirming, “You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally and I implore others to do the same.”
Adrien Brody prevailed over strong contenders including Fiennes, Chalamet portraying a young Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” Grant in the horror film “Heretic,” Colman Domingo for “Sing Sing,” and Sebastian Stan as young Donald Trump in “The Apprentice.” Brody, who depicted a Hungarian-Jewish architect in “The Brutalist,” highlighted the film’s significant message during a polarized time, asserting, “It speaks to the need for all of us to share in the responsibility of how we want others to be treated and how we want to be treated by others. There’s no place any more for antisemitism. There’s no place for racism.” “The Brutalist” also won awards for cinematography and musical score.
Zoe Saldaña received recognition for her role as a lawyer assisting the transition of the lead character in “Emilia Pérez,” calling the film “the creative challenge of a lifetime.” “A Real Pain,” which chronicles the journey of two cousins exploring their heritage, earned the award for Best Original Screenplay alongside Culkin’s acting accolade. The film’s writer-director Jesse Eisenberg shared a humorous moment, saying, “I’d like to share this with my wife, who didn’t come because she didn’t think I’d win.”
The clay-animation film “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” garnered awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Family Film, while the sci-fi film “Dune: Part Two” took home both sound and visual effects awards. The musical blockbuster “Wicked” secured accolades for costume and production design.
Decision-making for the BAFTA winners involved the votes of 8,000 members from the U.K. film industry. The Rising Star Award, voted by the public, went to David Jonsson, known for his role in the drama series “Industry” and the romantic comedy “Rye Lane.” “Star, I don’t know,” Jonsson remarked about the honor. “But rising, I guess.”
Rich Peppiatt was recognized for Best British Debut for his work on the Irish-language hip-hop drama “Kneecap.” Warwick Davis, noted for his performances in “Willow” and “Return of the Jedi,” received the BAFTA Fellowship for his contributions to the industry and advocacy for diversity. The 3-foot, 6-inch actor established a talent agency focused on actors shorter than 5 feet, explaining that “short actors weren’t known for their talent, just their height.”
Davis expressed the significance of his honor, saying, “This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me — and I’ve been in ‘Star Wars.’”
This year’s awards season also experienced a somber backdrop due to the recent tragic wildfires in Los Angeles, with BAFTA chairwoman Sara Putt extending a message of solidarity to those affected. The event this year lacked the royal presence, as neither Prince William nor his wife Kate attended due to their children’s school holidays. However, William shared a pre-recorded video message discussing his viewing preferences, mentioning that he had watched “Darkest Hour” and had started the post-apocalyptic series “The Last of Us,” which he found “quite full on” but did not finish.
