The BAFTA season unfolded in London with a night that left little room for improvisation. The premiere spotlighted Oppenheimer as the event’s standout, capping a dominant run with seven awards, including Best Picture. The evening also highlighted two other major 2023 releases: Area of Interest earning Best British Film and Poor Things collecting five awards overall. The Snow Society, a Spanish-language entry directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, did not secure Best Film in the non-English category.
The ceremony underscored Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a film about the life of the inventor of the atomic bomb. It claimed top honors in several key categories, including Best Film and Best Director, while also earning recognition for acting, cinematography, editing, and music. Nolan noted that the film reaches a moment of moral strain while acknowledging the real-world efforts of many who work to cut nuclear arms and push for disarmament. He expressed appreciation for those who advocated for recognition of their efforts. Cillian Murphy was celebrated as Best Leading Actor, and Robert Downey Jr. received Best Supporting Actor. Additional accolades went to achievements in camera work, editing, and score.
Emma Stone attended the ceremony with her BAFTA for Best Actress, photographed by EFE.
Emma Stone’s success as Poor Creatures, an offbeat comedy that stood out this year, closed the evening with a bittersweet tone. While it did not win Best Picture or Best British Film, the film earned strong recognition for Stone’s performance as Best Leading Actress. The cast and crew expressed gratitude for the team’s extraordinary efforts. Stone herself spoke about the awe inspired by what the team accomplished and thanked everyone who contributed. In addition to Stone’s performance, director Yorgos Lanthimos earned several nominations for craft categories including costume design, makeup and hair, production design, and visual effects.
The mood shifted for Snow Community, which ultimately did not win Best Non-English Language Film. The award went to Area of Interest, a Holocaust portrait adapted from Martin Amis’s novel that has attracted considerable critical attention. The British-German production had previously won the festival’s jury prize and is widely tipped to contend for international film honors in the forthcoming awards cycle.
Disappointment for Barbie
The ceremony also carried some disappointment for a French film that had swept Cannes this year. Anatomy of a Fall took Best Original Screenplay but did not secure a haul of major prizes. Barbie, the box-office giant of 2023, did not translate its commercial success into BAFTA wins and missed nominations in major categories, including Best Leading Actress for Margot Robbie and Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling.
The 77th BAFTA Awards delivered a night of glamour, with notable attendees in the stands and a host lineup featuring prominent creators and performers from British cinema. The event blended humor and music, culminating in a two-hour BBC broadcast. The mood reflected a festive atmosphere and a broader conversation about film craft, storytelling, and the evolving landscape of the industry. [citation: BAFTA press materials, 2024 awards overview]