The Reality of The Baftas 2026 Winners List Breakdown

It wasn’t a quiet Sunday night at the Royal Festival Hall last night. In general, these ceremonies are pretty boring and predictable, but the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards smashed that script to bits. Between the technical glitches that are currently blowing up social media and some of the most genuine shocks I’ve seen in a decade, it was a proper rollercoaster.

Paul Thomas Anderson was the big winner, obviously. His film One Battle After Another basically sat in the competition. Yet if you study the Baftas 2026 winners list, the names that need our attention aren’t necessarily who you might have thought of. We saw a huge trend toward “performance over fame,” and frankly, it was past time.

The Night Robert Aramayo Became a Household Name

The atmosphere in the room shifted the second they announced the Leading Actor. Most of the “experts” had their money on Leo or Timothée Chalamet. But when Robert Aramayo’s name was read out for I Swear, the place erupted. It’s a hard film to watch; it’s about John Davidson’s life with Tourette’s, and Aramayo didn’t play it safe. He was messy, he was loud, and he was brilliant.

The kid pulled off a double-win, taking home the EE Rising Star award, too. That’s the one the public votes for. It’s scarily rare for someone to win the public vote and the academy vote in the same night. It’s a career-defining moment. As the BBC News Analysis pointed out this morning, we’re looking at the birth of a genuine British superstar. He looked absolutely knackered during his speech, but who wouldn’t be?

PTA’s Six-Mask Landslide

While Robert provided the heart, Paul Thomas Anderson provided the muscle. One Battle After Another ended up with six awards. Best Film, Best Director, and Adapted Screenplay were a total sweep. It’s a big, loud, architectural film. It won for Editing and Cinematography too, which was no surprise to anyone who actually saw it on a big screen.

The weirdest part? Sean Penn won Supporting Actor but didn’t even show up. His co-stars had to go up and collect the mask. It’s always a bit of a letdown when a winner isn’t there to give a speech, but with a film this dominant, I don’t think PTA was too bothered.

This win basically guarantees they’ll be the ones to beat when the Oscars roll around next month.

That Massive “Boong” Upset

Now, if you want to talk about a real shock, look at the Children’s and Family category. Everyone and their mum thought Zootropolis 2 had it in the bag. It’s Disney. It’s huge. But the mask went to a small Indian film called Boong. It’s a Manipuri-language story about a young boy, and it’s beautiful.

It’s one of those wins that makes you actually trust the BAFTA voters for a second. They didn’t just pick the biggest logo; they picked the best story. The Guardian’s live blog coverage was flooded with comments from people who hadn’t even heard of the film until last night. Now, it’s the top-trending search on Netflix.

Gothic Wins and British Grief

Hamnet did exactly what it was expected to do. Jessie Buckley is a force of nature, and her Leading Actress win felt like the most predictable outcome of the night. The movie also picked up Outstanding British Film. It’s a heavy, tear-jerker of a movie, and Buckley’s performance is just… yeah. It stays with you.

Then you’ve got Frankenstein. It didn’t win the big ones, but it absolutely cleaned up the “craft” side. It took home three awards for Production Design, Costume, and Make-Up. It’s visually gross in the best way possible. It’s gothic, it’s gross, and the costume design is magnificent. And it’s good to see the below-the-line talent recognised as well for a film that is clearly a labour of love.

The Standout Stats: Baftas 2026 winners list