The 2025 BAFTAs – My “Will Win” and “Should Win” predictions… Plus the DID WIN Results!

The 2025 BAFTA awards will be announced next Sunday, the 16th of February and again David Tennant is the host. So, as is traditional, here are my predictions as to who will get the trophy and who I think should get the trophy.

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Now updated with the results, in red. I managed to scrape to 12/24 of those categories I tried to predict. In such a wide open year, I’ll take it!

(Films marked with asterisks are ones that I have still to see. Links are included to my reviews of the films).

BEST FILM

• Anora
• The Brutalist
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Emilia Pérez

• Will Win: The Brutalist
• Should Win: Conclave
• Did Win: Conclave.

I would have no problem with “The Brutalist” winning this as it is a fine film. But I enjoyed “Conclave” more.

Another surprise…. I thought this would either be “The Brutalist” or “Anora”. That might put the cat among the pigeons at the Oscars.

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

• Bird
• Blitz
• Conclave
• Gladiator II
• Hard Truths
• Kneecap
• Lee
• Love Lies Bleeding
• The Outrun
• Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

• Will Win: Conclave.
• Should Win: Conclave.
• Did Win: Conclave.

This list makes you appreciated just what a good year its been in the cinema. I’ve seen all of these except for “Kneecap” (which seems to have got a lot of BAFTA, if not Oscar, love). There are so many good films in here that I honestly wouldn’t object to any of the ones I’ve seen winning. I’ve plumped for “Conclave”, but I think “Hard Truths” might be in with a good shot as well.

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

• Hoard – Luna Carmoon
• Kneecap – Rich Peppiatt
• Monkey Man – Dev Patel
• Santosh – Sandhya Suri, James Bowsher & Balthazar de Ganay
• Sister Midnight – Karan Kandhari

• Will Win: Kneecap.
• Should Win: Sister Midnight.
• Did Win: Kneecap

I’m only at 60% in this category and unsure where to put my votes… “Kneecap” seems to have a bit of a buzz about it but the film I saw that really jumped out as being a big surprise at the LFF was the surreal Indian-set drama “Sister Midnight”.

Must try to get to watch this. My hunch was right though.

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

• All We Imagine As Light
• Emilia Pérez
• I’m Still Here
• Kneecap
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig

• Will Win: Emilia Pérez
• Should Win: I’m Still Here
• Did Win: Emilia Pérez.

I’m only at 40% coverage so far on this one so far. But I think the battle, as at the Oscars, will probably be between “Emilia Pérez” and “I’m Still Here”.

DOCUMENTARY

• Black Box Diaries
• Daughters
• No Other Land
• Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
• Will & Harper

• Will Win: No Other Land
• Should Win: ?
• Did Win: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

I’m so short sighted on these documentaries that I’m not going to suggest a “Should Win”. I’ve suggested “No Other Land” as the “Will Win” since (with “Black Box Diaries”) it is Oscar nominated and is also the current bookies favourite. The Christopher Reeve documentary was very good but was snubbed by the Oscars.

A surprise (given its Oscar snub) but a very nice surprise.

ANIMATED FILM

• Flow
• Inside Out 2
• Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
• The Wild Robot

• Will Win: Flow
• Should Win: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
• Did Win: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Latvian film “Flow”, which I am still trying to see, seems to have a hell of a buzz about it. I would love Aardman to win through though to boost its Oscar chances. And I wouldn’t object to “The Wild Robot” winning either.

So, the “Flow” love might have been illusionary. This probably helps Wallace and Gromit’s chances in the Oscars.

DIRECTOR

• Anora – Sean Baker
• The Brutalist – Brady Corbet
• Conclave – Edward Berger
• Dune: Part Two – Denis Villeneuve
• Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
• The Substance – Coralie Fargeat

• Will Win: Brady Corbet
• Should Win: Brady Corbet
• Did Win: Brady Corbet

I’m going to plump for Brady Corbet for this. Although I preferred “Conclave”, how Corbet brought this in for under $10 million deserves recognition.

Went as I expected, and now I’d expect The Brutalist to get Best Film as well.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Anora
• The Brutalist
• Kneecap
• A Real Pain
• The Substance

• Will Win: Anora
• Should Win: A Real Pain
• Did Win: A Real Pain

“Kneecap” is a bit of a surprise on this list. “Anora” has all of the buzz. But I really liked “A Real Pain”.

Very happy about this one. Loved Jesse Eisenburg’s unprepared speech!

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Emilia Pérez
• Nickel Boys
• Sing Sing

• Will Win: Conclave
• Should Win: Conclave
• Did Win: Conclave

I really must get to watch “Sing Sing”! I loved “Nickel Boys” but in terms of a clever screenplay I’ll go “Conclave” all the way on this one.

I think this one should be pretty glued on for the Oscars as well.

LEADING ACTRESS

• Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
• Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths
• Mikey Madison – Anora
• Demi Moore – The Substance
• Saoirse Ronan – The Outrun

• Will Win: Marianne Jean-Baptiste
• Should Win: Marianne Jean-Baptiste
• Did Win: Mikey Madison.

I’m going to stick my neck out and suggest that Jean-Baptiste will win through on home soil for Mike Leigh’s film, especially since she missed out on the Oscar nomination. That may be a vain hope. Good to see Saoirse Ronan on this list for her terrific performance in “The Outrun”.

Wow… I really didn’t expect this one. I was preparing for Demi Moore’s name to be read out.

LEADING ACTOR

• Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
• Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
• Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
• Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
• Hugh Grant – Heretic
• Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice

• Will Win: Adrien Brody
• Should Win: Ralph Fiennes
• Did Win: Adrien Brody

It’s great to see Hugh Grant on this list. I suspect Adrien Brody will get this but, for his much smaller and more finessed performance, I’d love Fiennes to win it.

No surprise there.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Selena Gomez – Emilia Pérez
• Ariana Grande – Wicked
• Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
• Jamie Lee Curtis – The Last Showgirl
• Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
• Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez

• Will Win: Zoe Saldaña
• Should Win: Felicity Jones
• Did Win: Zoe Saldaña

A really difficult category to call. I’ve yet to see “The Last Showgirl”. But, for me, I’d give this one to Felicity Jones for “The Brutalist”. Although I wasn’t as mad about “Emilia Perez” overall, I did think Zoe Saldana was terrific in it so wouldn’t object to her winning this.

An emotional Zoe Saldaña accepting the award. “Voices need to be heard – just not my English accent.”

SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Yura Borisov – Anora
• Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
• Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing
• Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
• Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
• Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice

• Will Win: Kieran Culkin
• Should Win: Edward Norton
• Did Win: Kieran Culkin

More terrific performances and a tough choice. Kieran Culkin seems to be the favourite and he was great, although a little bit too much like Roman Roy (or perhaps Kieran Culkin!) for my taste. A far subtler performance I think was Edward Norton’s playing Pete Seeger in “A Complete Unknown”. The only one I would object to winning in this list is Guy Pearce for “The Brutalist”: who I felt was “Acting” with a big “A”.

Another great speech from Jesse Eisenberg accepting the award.

ORIGINAL SCORE

• The Brutalist – Daniel Blumberg
• Conclave – Volker Bertelmann
• Emilia Pérez – Camille, Clément Ducol
• Nosferatu – Robin Carolan
• The Wild Robot – Kris Bowers

• Will Win: The Brutalist – Daniel Blumberg
• Should Win: The Brutalist – Daniel Blumberg
• Did Win: The Brutalist – Daniel Blumberg

The most memorable score from my perspective out of this bunch.

CASTING

• Anora
• The Apprentice
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Kneecap

• Will Win: A Complete Unknown
• Should Win: A Complete Unknown
• Did Win: Anora

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• The Brutalist
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• Nosferatu

• Will Win: Nosferatu
• Should Win: Nosferatu
• Did Win: The Brutalist.

For me, there is an obvious shoe-in for this award and that is Jarin Blaschke for “Nosferatu”.

EDITING

• Anora
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• Kneecap

• Will Win: Emilia Pérez
• Should Win: Emilia Pérez
• Did Win: Conclave

I’ve gone with Emilia Pérez for this one, since some of the pacing of the dance sequences is so wonderfully done.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

• The Brutalist
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Nosferatu
• Wicked

• Will Win: Wicked
• Should Win: Wicked
• Did Win: Wicked

I don’t think “Wicked” is going to come out of the BAFTAs with much other than in these technical awards.

COSTUME DESIGN

• Blitz
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Nosferatu
• Wicked

• Will Win: Wicked
• Should Win: Wicked
• Did Win: Wicked

MAKE UP & HAIR

• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• Nosferatu
• The Substance
• Wicked

• Will Win: The Substance
• Should Win: The Substance
• Did Win: The Substance

SOUND

• Blitz
• Dune: Part Two
• Gladiator II
• The Substance
• Wicked

• Will Win: Blitz
• Should Win: Blitz
• Did Win: Dune: Part Two.

I thought “The Brutalist” might get onto this list as well. But the most notable piece of sound design for me was from Steve McQueen’s “Blitz”.

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

• Better Man
• Dune: Part Two
• Gladiator II
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• Wicked

• Will Win: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• Should Win: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• Did Win: Dune: Part 2

I’m forever impressed with the special effects deployed in the PotA films, and this latest one was no exception. The sand worms in “Dune Part Two” were really well done as well.

That was my second guess! Good it at least picked up something.

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

• Adiós
• Mog’s Christmas
• Wander to Wonder

I’m afraid I didn’t get to see any of these short animations this year, so won’t predict anything.

• Did Win: Wander to Wonder.

BRITISH SHORT FILM

• The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing
• Marion
• Milk
• Rock, Paper, Scissors
• Stomach Bug

And similarly, I’m afraid I haven’t got to any of these this year. (Sorry filmmakers!)

• Did Win: Rock, Paper, Scissors

CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY FILM

• Flow
• Kensuke’s Kingdom
• Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
• The Wild Robot

• Will Win: The Wild Robot
• Should Win: The Wild Robot
• Did Win: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

This is a new category at the BAFTAs this year. I’m only 50% on this but I’ve gone for “The Wild Robot” since I’ve yet to see “Flow” and although I thought “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” was hilarious, I’m not sure “kids” necessarily warmed to it as much as the parents did.

Congrats to Aardman.

EE RISING STAR AWARD

• Marisa Abela
• Jharrel Jerome
• David Jonsson
• Mikey Madison
• Nabhaan Rizwan

• Will Win: Mikey Madison
• Should Win: David Jonsson
• Did Win: David Jonsson.

As this one is voted for by the public, it will likely go to the person with the most prominence (although having said that Mia McKenna-Bruce winning it last year was a delightful surprise!) Mikey Madison is the name of the hour at the moment (for “Anora“). But David Jonsson might get some love from last year’s very popular “Rye Lane” and he has also had a prominent role in the successful “Alien: Romulus” this year. With Marisa “Back to Black” Abela, I think they are the three frontrunners.

THE MICHAEL BALCON AWARD – Outstanding Contribution to British CInema

Awarded to Medicinema. What a great cause and a great decision by BAFTA. Bravo!

BAFTA FELLOWSHIP

Awarded to Warwick Davis.

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