One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, dominated the BAFTA Awards 2026 with six wins, including Best Film.

On the evening of February 22 in London (early February 23 in Hanoi), the film took home top honors such as Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn. While accepting the night’s highest award, director Paul Thomas Anderson addressed skeptics of contemporary cinema, saying that anyone who believes films today are no longer great should reconsider. He concluded by quoting artist and activist Nina Simone: “I’ll tell you what freedom is to me—no fear.” Anderson urged filmmakers to keep creating fearlessly.

According to Variety, Anderson is regarded as one of the most talented directors of modern cinema, and this marked his first win in BAFTA’s top category. Previously, There Will Be Blood and Licorice Pizza were nominated for Best Film but did not win. Of his eight prior BAFTA nominations, he had only one victory—Best Original Screenplay for Licorice Pizza in 2022.

With a reported budget of around $130 million, One Battle After Another follows Bob Ferguson (played by DiCaprio), a member of a revolutionary group haunted by his past while searching for his kidnapped daughter. The film uses sharp satire and a fast-paced narrative to comment on contemporary politics, authoritarianism, corruption, and the treatment of immigrants.

The Hollywood Reporter praised DiCaprio for powerfully conveying the psychology of a desperate father, while BBC described him as the film’s “emotional core,” especially in scenes that capture vulnerability and the struggle to overcome fear in a chaotic world.

In late January, organizers announced the film had received 14 BAFTA nominations. It has been consistently honored at major awards ceremonies since late 2025, winning three awards from the U.S. National Board of Review, four Golden Globe Awards, and Best Film and Best Director at the Critics’ Choice Awards, along with numerous critics’ association prizes.

Elsewhere at the ceremony, critics cited the biggest surprise as Robert Aramayo, who—after winning Rising Star—defeated heavyweights such as Timothée Chalamet and DiCaprio to claim Best Actor for I Swear. The independent film portrays John Davidson, an activist raising awareness of Tourette syndrome. Davidson attended the event, and host Alan Cumming asked the audience for understanding after Davidson experienced involuntary speech due to his condition.

Director Ryan Coogler made history as the first Black filmmaker to win Best Original Screenplay for Sinners, which also earned Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Score—making it the most-awarded BAFTA film by a Black director. In his speech, Coogler encouraged young writers to let love and empathy guide their work.

Other winners included Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao, which won Best British Film; Jessie Buckley, who took Best Actress; and Sentimental Value, which became the first Norwegian film to win Best Film Not in the English Language.

The ceremony also featured performances by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami from the animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters, as well as a tribute performance of “The Way We Were” by Jessie Ware honoring artists who passed away.

Often described as the “British Oscars,” BAFTA remains one of the most influential film awards globally. At the 79th ceremony, host Alan Cumming energized the audience with playful banter—handing out British sweets to Kylie Jenner and jokingly teasing Paul Mescal for being glued to his phone.