The 2025 BAFTA Film Awards present an open race with no clear frontrunner, a stark contrast to last year’s Oppenheimer dominance. The papal thriller Conclave leads with 12 nominations but faces stiff competition from the epic period drama The Brutalist and awards season favorite Anora, a film about an exotic dancer who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.
While The Brutalist was initially seen as the strongest contender for Best Film, Anora has gained momentum following victories at the Critics Choice Awards and the Producers and Directors Guild of America Awards. British film Conclave remains a strong contender, bolstered by director Edward Berger’s success in 2023 when All Quiet on the Western Front won a record seven BAFTAs. The Best Film category also includes the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and the Spanish-language musical crime film Emilia Perez.
The Best Director race is expected to be a tight contest between Berger, Anora’s Sean Baker, and The Brutalist’s Brady Corbet. Adrien Brody’s performance in The Brutalist, where he portrays a Hungarian immigrant rebuilding his life in post-war America, has already earned multiple accolades, making him the favorite for Best Leading Actor. Industry experts believe his win is almost certain given the strength of his performance.
In the Leading Actress category, Demi Moore has been widely recognized for her role in the body horror The Substance and is expected to win at the Oscars. However, she faces tough competition at the BAFTAs from British actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste, whose performance in Hard Truths has drawn critical acclaim.
Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) and Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez) are leading the Supporting Actor and Actress categories. Emilia Perez, which stars Saldana as a lawyer assisting a cartel leader’s transition from man to woman, was an early awards favorite but has lost momentum following controversy surrounding its star, Karla Sofia Gascon. Gascon recently apologized for past social media remarks and withdrew from the public eye to avoid impacting the film’s Oscar chances.
Despite the unpredictability of this year’s BAFTA race, Conclave, The Brutalist, and Anora remain top contenders, with the possibility of surprises as the awards unfold. With outstanding performances and compelling narratives, this year’s competition promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.
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