‘One Battle After Another’ leads the pack in nominations for UK’s BAFTA film awards

Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically charged action thriller “One Battle After Another” has emerged as the frontrunner at this year’s British Academy Film Awards, garnering 14 nominations, including multiple acting nods across the categories, the British Academy announced on Tuesday.

The film leads a competitive field that includes Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic “Sinners” with 13 nominations, while Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean family tragedy “Hamnet” and Josh Safdie’s ping-pong odyssey “Marty Supreme” received 11 nominations each. Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of “Frankenstein” and the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” rounded out the leading contenders with eight nominations apiece.

“We’re seeing films tackling significant societal issues,” noted BAFTA Chief Executive Jane Millichip. “‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘Sinners’ address the moral ambiguity of activism and Black identity, while others explore intimate family relationships. They’re all doing it through bold storytelling with strong, distinctive flavors.”

In the best film category, “One Battle After Another,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “Sinners” and “Sentimental Value” will compete for the top honor, reflecting a diverse slate of cinematic achievements that have resonated with both critics and audiences.

The leading actor category features established Hollywood stars alongside emerging talent. Timothée Chalamet (“Marty Supreme”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”), Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”), Jesse Plemons (“Bugonia”), and British actor Robert Aramayo for his portrayal of a man with Tourette’s syndrome in “I Swear” all received nominations.

Aramayo expressed surprise at being nominated alongside such established performers. “It’s absolutely amazing,” he said. “I admire each and every one of them so much.”

In the leading actress category, Jessie Buckley earned a nomination for her performance as Agnes Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife, in “Hamnet.” She faces competition from Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), Kate Hudson (“Song Sung Blue”), Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”), Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”), and Emma Stone for her role in the dystopian tragicomedy “Bugonia.”

“One Battle After Another” demonstrated its strength across categories with supporting performance nominations for Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn, highlighting the film’s ensemble depth.

In the documentary category, the Associated Press received recognition for Mstyslav Chernov’s harrowing Ukraine war portrait “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” co-produced with PBS Frontline, adding a serious journalistic presence among the nominees.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on February 22, hosted by actor Alan Cumming. The British awards often provide insights into potential Oscar winners, with this year’s Academy Awards scheduled for March 15.

Interestingly, this year’s BAFTA nominations followed the Oscar announcements, which saw “Sinners” secure a record 16 nominations, followed by “One Battle After Another” with 13. The British academy recognized several performers overlooked by the Oscars, including supporting actor nominees Paul Mescal for “Hamnet” and Odessa A’zion for “Marty Supreme.”

The BAFTAs maintain their British identity through a separate category for best British film, which this year includes “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” “Pillion,” “I Swear” and “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” among its ten nominees.

Tom Basden, co-writer and star of “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” expressed gratification at receiving three nominations for a film produced on a minimal budget in just 18 days. “Against the odds, we managed to create something in those conditions that we’re really proud of and that’s really hit home with people,” Basden remarked. “It’s a lovely underdog story in many ways.”

Most BAFTA winners are selected by the academy’s 8,500 industry professional members, though the Rising Star Award is chosen by public vote. This year’s rising star nominees include Chase Infiniti, Robert Aramayo, “Sinners” star Miles Caton, and British actors Archie Madekwe and Posy Sterling.

The British film academy has implemented changes in recent years to increase diversity following criticism in 2020 when no women were nominated for best director and all acting nominees were white. While improvements have been made, this year Chloé Zhao stands as the only female nominee in the best director category, competing against Anderson, Safdie, Coogler, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Joachim Trier. Across all categories, women represent 25% of directing nominees, indicating that progress remains a work in progress in the industry.