<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Politically charged thriller </span><em><span>One Battle After Another</span></em><span> has won six prizes, including best picture, at the British Academy Film Awards, building momentum ahead of Hollywood's Academy Awards next month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Blues-steeped vampire epic </span><em><span>Sinners</span></em><span> and gothic horror story </span><em><span>Frankenstein</span></em><span> won three awards each, while Shakespearean family tragedy </span><em><span>Hamnet</span></em><span> won two including best British film.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>One Battle After Another</span></em><span>, Paul Thomas Anderson's explosive film about a group of revolutionaries in chaotic conflict with the state, won awards for directing, adapted screenplay, cinematography and editing, as well as for Sean Penn's supporting performance as an obsessed military officer.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/coalition-pushes-to-criminalise-help-for-isis-brides/973d61c5-4557-485d-be8d-e5aba8991a61" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Coalition plan to criminalise any help given to those with Islamic State links</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is very overwhelming and wonderful," Anderson said as he accepted the directing prize.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He paid tribute to his longstanding assistant director, Adam Somner, who died of cancer in November 2024 a few weeks into production.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We have a line from Nina Simone that we used in our film, 'I know what freedom is: It's no fear,'" the director said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/bafta-one-battle-after-another-wins-best-picture/92a067fe-6c3a-4618-a26d-026099cff318" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Let's keep making things without fear. It's a good idea."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bookies' favourite Jessie Buckley won the best actress prize for playing grieving mother Agnes Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare, in </span><em><span>Hamnet</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She is the first Irish performer to win a best actress prize at the awards, known as BAFTAs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cost-of-living-how-queensland-couple-sandra-and-peter-rielly-keep-their-expenses-to-under-15-000-dollars-a-year/6952ee63-af6d-4f59-9cbf-63e79e78e8e0" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>How one Aussie couple lives on $15,000 a year</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a major upset, Robert Aramayo won the best actor category for his performance in </span><em><span>I Swear</span></em><span>, a British indie drama about a campaigner for people with Tourette's syndrome.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 33-year-old British actor looked stunned and called the victory over Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet "absolutely mad".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I absolutely can't believe this," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Everyone in this category blows me away."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-for-australian-2026-travel-rules-changes-dual-citizen-passport-requirements/6d415761-bdea-4d26-8aa5-35baf5cda026" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australian-British citizens have just days before new passport rule kicks in</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>Sinners</span></em><span> took home trophies for director Ryan Coogler's original screenplay, the film's musical score and for Wunmi Mosaku's supporting actress performance as herbalist and healer Annie.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The British-Nigerian actor said that in the role she found "a part of my hopes, my ancestral power and my connection, parts I thought I had lost or tried to dim as an immigrant trying to fit in".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Stars and royalty</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hollywood stars and British celebrities, from Paddington Bear to the Prince and Princess of Wales, gathered at London's Royal Festival Hall for the awards.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>DiCaprio, Chalamet, Emma Stone, Cillian Murphy, Glenn Close, and Ethan Hawke were among the stars walking the red carpet before a black-tie ceremony hosted by Scottish actor Alan Cumming.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales also attended, three days after William's uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by police and held for 11 hours over allegations he sent sensitive government information to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The scandal has rocked the royal family led by King Charles III, though William and Kate remain popular standard-bearers for the monarchy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>William was due to present an award in his role as president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among the biggest receptions from gathered fans was for Paddington, the puppet bear who stars in a musical stage adaption of the beloved children's classic.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Oscars bellwether</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The British prizes, officially called the EE BAFTA Film Awards, often provide hints about who will win at Hollywood's Academy Awards, held this year on March 15.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>Sinners</span></em><span> has a record 16 Oscar nominations, followed by </span><em><span>One Battle After Another</span></em><span> with 13.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>One Battle</span></em><span> went into the BAFTAs ceremony with 14 nominations. </span><em><span>Sinners</span></em><span> was just behind with 13, while </span><em><span>Hamnet</span></em><span> had 11.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ping-pong odyssey </span><em><span>Marty Supreme</span></em><span> also had 11 nominations but went home empty-handed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Guillermo del Toro's reimagining of </span><em><span>Frankenstein</span></em><span> and Norwegian family drama </span><em><span>Sentimental Value</span></em><span> each got eight nominations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>Frankenstein</span></em><span> took awards for production design, costume design and for the hair and makeup artists who spent 10 hours a day transforming Jacob Elordi into the movie's monstrous creature.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>Sentimental Value</span></em><span> won the prize for the best film not in English.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cumming told the audience that it had been a strong year for cinema, if not a cheerful one, with nominated films tackling themes including child death, racism and political violence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Watching the films this year was like taking part in a collective nervous breakdown," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's almost as though there are events going on in the real world that are influencing filmmakers."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ceremony was more glitz than gloom, though, including a performance by Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – the voices of animated band HUNTR/X in box office juggernaut </span><em><span>KPop Demon Hunters</span></em><span> – singing the movie hit Golden.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Putin critic wins best documentary</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The best-documentary prize went to </span><em><span>Mr Nobody Against Putin</span></em><span>, about a Russian teacher who documented the propaganda imposed on Russian schools after the invasion of Ukraine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The film's American director David Borenstein said that teacher Pavel Talankin had shown that "whether it's in Russia or the streets of Minneapolis, we always face a moral choice," referring to the protests against US immigration enforcement in Minnesota.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We need more Mr Nobodies," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It beat documentaries including Mstyslav Chernov's harrowing Ukraine war portrait </span><em><span>2000 Metres to Andriivka</span></em><span>, co-produced by The Associated Press and Frontline PBS.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Most BAFTA winners are chosen by 8500 members of the UK academy of industry professionals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Rising Star award, which is decided by public vote, went to Aramayo.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Donna Langley, the UK-born chairwoman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, was awarded the British Academy's highest honor, the BAFTA fellowship.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div 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