The 75th British Academy Film Awards took place tonight, March 13, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. The ceremony was hosted this year by Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson, and marks the BAFTAs’ first return to a full-capacity in-person ceremony, following last year’s strict Covid-19 restrictions. Denis Villeneuve dune leads the nominations with a total of 11, closely followed by Jane Campion’s The power of the dog with 8, and Sir Kenneth Branagh Belfastwhich totals 6 nominations.

The ceremony opened with special footage from all past James Bond films to celebrate 60 years of the franchise, and continued with a special live performance by The diamond is forever by Dame Shirley Bassey.

The rewards

by Jane Campion The power of the dog won the coveted Best Picture award, presented by Tom Hiddleston. Campion also won Best Director. The award was accepted by Benedict Cumberbatch, who was nominated for Best Lead Actor, as Campion is in Los Angeles after attending the Directors Guild America awards the night before. The film, based on the novel by Thomas Savage, and available for streaming on Netflix, won the first two prizes of the evening.

British actress Joanna Scanlan won Best Leading Actress for her outstanding role in After Love, directed by Aleem Khan. Scanlan plays a widow who discovers that her late husband is leading a secret double life, with another woman and her son. The nominees in the same category were Lady Gaga, Alana Haim, Emilia Jones, Renate Reinsve and Tessa Thompson.

The Best Leading Actor award was presented by Salma Hayek, who revealed Will Smith won the award for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard. Will Smith could not attend but Ronaldo Marcus Green accepted the award on his behalf, saying that King Richard was a personal film for Smith. Will Smith won against Adeel Akhtar, Mahershala Ali, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leonardo DiCaprio and Stephen Graham.

soul summer won Best Documentary. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson accepted the award and said this film was a mission of love. This is Questlove’s first standout feature documenting the Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969.

by Paul Thomas Anderson Licorice Pizza won Best Original Screenplay. Jonny Greenwood, who composed the music for the film, accepted the award on behalf of Paul Thomas Anderson. Alana Haim, the lead actress of Licorice Pizza, joined him on stage to help Greenwood with his awkward acceptance speech.

Coda won Best Adapted Screenplay, which went to screenwriter and director Siân Heder, based on the French film The Aries Family directed by Eric Lartigau and written by Victoria Bedos, Thomas Bidegain, Stanislas Carré de Malberg and Lartigau. Heder said she was an outsider to the deaf community and thanked them for trusting her to tell their story.

by Sir Kenneth Branagh Belfast won Best British Film. Branagh thanked audiences for watching his film in theaters. This is a black and white autobiographical film about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, starring Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe. by Aleem Khan After Loveby Clio Barnard Ali and AvaJoe Wright’s Cyranoby Ridley Scott Gucci Houseby Edgar Wright Last night in Sohoby Rebecca Hall Who passedby Jonathan Butterell Everybody’s talking about Jamieand Philip Barantini Boiling point were all nominated in this category. The award was presented by Emma Watson.

Best Supporting Actor went to Troy Kotsur for his breakthrough role in Coda. In his acceptance speech, Kotsur said it was an honor for him to receive this BAFTA. He asked if they had considered a deaf James Bond. The film is available to stream on Apple TV+.

Léa Seydoux awarded the prize for the best non-English language film. The critically acclaimed, festival-favorite Japanese film drive my car won the award. The film was directed by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, who dedicated the award to Haruki Murakami who wrote the short story on which the film is based and the cast of the film. Cinema crosses borders, Hamagushi said in his acceptance speech.

Ariana Debose won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Stephen Spielberg’s musical West Side Story. The competition was tough this year with Catriona Balfe, Jessie Buckley, Ann Dowd, Aunjanue Ellis and Ruth Negga also nominated in this category. Debose thanked the casting director for West Side Story.

Lashana Lynch, who starred in no time to die, won the EE Rising Star Award, presented by Lady Gaga and last year’s winner, Bukky Bakray. The prize is voted on by the public. Lynch thanked everyone who voted and everyone involved in the James Bond film, as well as his family. Ariana Bose, Harris Dickinson, Millicent Simmonds and Kodi Smit-McPhee have all been nominated for this award.

The more they fall, directed by Jeymes Samuel received the award for best debut. The movie that was released on Netflix, with an incredible cast including Regina King, Idris Elba, LaKeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz. The award was presented by Sir Kenneth Branagh.

RuPaul and Naomi Campbell presented the cinematography award, which was won by Greig Fraser for dune. Macbeth’s Tragedy, no time to die, The power of the dog and alley of nightmares were nominated for this category.

For Best Visual Effects, actor Simon Pegg presented the award to the sci-fi adaptation of dune. no time to die, free guy, The Matrix Resurrections and Ghostbusters: Afterlife were all nominated in this category.

Jenny Beavan for Disney Cruel received the award for Best Costume Design.

Although they were not presented at the ceremony, Encanto won Best Animated Film, Hans Zimmer won Best Original Score for duneCindy Tolan won Best Cast for West Side StoryTom Cross and Elliot Graham won Best Editing for no time to dieLinda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh won Best Makeup and Hairstyling for Tammy Faye’s eyesPatrice and Zsuzsanna Sipos won Best Production Design for duneand Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Doug Hemphill, Theo Green, Ron Bartlett won Best Sound for dune.