'One Battle After Another' wins six BAFTA awards including best picture and director
France 24
by FranceFebruary 22, 2026
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The politically charged thriller *One Battle After Another*, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, claimed six BAFTA awards at the British Academy Film Awards, including best picture and best director. The film dominated the ceremony with its powerful narrative about revolutionaries in conflict with the state, earning accolades for directing, adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing, and Sean Penn’s supporting performance. Other notable winners included the blues-steeped vampire epic *Sinners*, which won three awards, and the gothic horror *Frankenstein*, which secured prizes for production design, costume design, and hair and makeup. Jessie Buckley also made history by winning best actress for her role as a grieving mother in *Hamnet*, a Shakespearean family tragedy that was named best British film.
The ceremony saw several unexpected triumphs, such as Robert Aramayo’s win for best actor for his role in the indie film *I Swear*, beating Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. Hollywood stars and British celebrities, including Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, attended the event, which took place just days after Andrew Mountbatten-W Windsor’s arrest over alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The awards ceremony highlighted a strong year for cinema, with films tackling serious themes like political violence, child death, and racism.
*One Battle After Another* entered the ceremony with 14 nominations, while *Sinners* followed closely with 13. *Hamnet* and the ping-pong odyssey *Marty Supreme* each had 11 nominations. The British Academy Film Awards often serve as a precursor to the Oscars, which are set to take place on March 15. With *Sinners* leading this year’s race with 16 nominations and *One Battle After Another* close behind with
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Originally published on France 24 on 2/22/2026