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British Academy Film Awards
Current: 77th British Academy Film Awards
Awarded for	The best in film
Country	United Kingdom
First awarded	29 May 1949; 75 years ago (1949-05-29)
Website	bafta.org

The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Awards, is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The ceremonies were initially held at the flagship Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square in London, before being held at the Royal Opera House from 2007 to 2016. From 2017 to 2022, the ceremony was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London before moving to the Royal Festival Hall for the 2023 ceremony. The statue awarded to recipients depicts a theatrical mask.

The first BAFTA Awards ceremony was held in 1949, and the ceremony was first broadcast on the BBC in 1956 with Vivien Leigh as the host. The ceremony was initially held in April or May; since 2001, it typically takes place in February.

History

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) was founded in 1947 as The British Film Academy, by David Lean, Alexander Korda, Carol Reed, Charles Laughton, Roger Manvell, Laurence Olivier, Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell, Michael Balcon, and other major figures of the British film industry. In 1958, the Academy merged with The Guild of Television Producers and Directors to form The Society of Film and Television, which eventually became The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 1976.

The stated charitable purpose of BAFTA is to "support, develop and promote the art forms of the moving image, by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners, and benefiting the public". In addition to high-profile awards ceremonies, BAFTA runs a year-round programme of educational events, including film screenings and tribute evenings. BAFTA is supported by a membership of about 6,000 people from the film, television, and video game industries.

The Academy's awards are in the form of a theatrical mask designed by American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe, in response to a commission from the Guild of Television Producers in 1955.

Annual ceremony

The ceremony previously took place in April or May, but since 2001 it has been held in February in order to precede the Academy Awards. Most of the awards are open to all nationalities, though there are awards for Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Producer or Director. Only UK films are eligible for the categories of The British Short Film and British Short Animation awards.

During each annual ceremony, BAFTA pauses in memoriam to pay tribute to those in the industry who have died over the past 12 months, showcasing a montage of images accompanied by music.

Broadcast

The Awards ceremony has been historically delayed broadcast on British television the same evening, and across the world. The first broadcast was on the BBC in 1956, with Vivien Leigh (who would present an award to her husband Sir Laurence Olivier) as the host. It has been broadcast in colour since 1970. In the US it is broadcast on BBC America. In 2023, the BAFTA Film Awards included a live telecast for its major award categories during the culmination of the ceremony.

Location

The award ceremony is held in London. From 2000 to 2007, the ceremonies took place at the flagship Odeon Leicester cinema in Leicester Square. Between 2008 and 2016, the ceremonies took place at the Royal Opera House. The 70th Awards in 2017, and subsequent ceremonies up to the 75th Awards in 2022, were held at the Royal Albert Hall.

For the 76th British Academy Film Awards in 2023, it was announced that the ceremony would be moved to the Royal Festival Hall as part of a new multi-year deal between BAFTA and the Southbank Centre, bringing the Film Awards in-line with the British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Games Awards, which were already held there.

Sponsorship

Until 2012, the mobile telephone network Orange sponsored the awards. Orange's parent company, EE, took over the sponsorship of the event from 2013.

Award categories

• BAFTA Award for Best Film: since 1948
• BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film: 1948–1968, 1992–present
• BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language: since 1983
• BAFTA Award for Best Documentary: 1948–1989, 2012–present
• BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film: since 2006
• BAFTA Award for Best Short Film: since 1980
• BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation: since 1990
• BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: since 1998
• BAFTA Award for Best Direction: since 1968
• BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay: since 1984
• BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay: since 1984
• BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role: since 1968
• BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role: since 1968
• BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Editing: since 1968
• BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Production Design: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair: since 1983
• BAFTA Award for Best Original Music: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Sound: since 1969
• BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects: since 1983
• BAFTA Award for Best Casting: since 2020
• BAFTA Rising Star Award: since 2006

Retired awards

• BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (awarded 1952–1984)
• BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay (awarded 1955–1968)
• BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay (awarded 1969–1983)
• BAFTA Award for Best British Actor (awarded 1952–1967)
• BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor (awarded 1952–1967)
• BAFTA Award for Best British Actress (awarded 1952–1967)
• BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress (awarded 1952–1967)
• BAFTA Award for Best Original Song (awarded 1983–1985)
• BAFTA Award for Best Factual Film
• BAFTA Award for Best Fictional Film
• BAFTA Award for Best Short Factual Film
• BAFTA Award for Best Specialised Film
• BAFTA John Grierson Award
• BAFTA United Nations Award (awarded 1949–1976)

Special awards

• BAFTA Fellowship (since 1971)
• Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award (known as the Michael Balcon Award from 1979 to 2006)

Superlatives

Acting

Note: Dench and Hoffman's tally of wins and nominations includes those received in the Most Promising Newcomer category.

Actors nominated twice in the same category in the same year

Nine actors have received dual nominations in the same category in a single year at the BAFTA Film Awards.

Notes

• Michael Caine was the first actor to receive dual nominations in the same category in a single year.
• The only ceremony with multiple actors double nominated in the same category was the 57th, with Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson. Penn became the first actor to win neither nomination, while Johansson became the first (and remains the only) to have neither performance nominated for the corresponding Oscar.
• Kate Winslet is the only actor to receive dual nominations twice.

Actors nominated in two different categories for the same performance in the same year

Nine actors have received two nominations for the same performance in a single year at the BAFTA Film Awards.

Notes

• Albert Finney was the first actor to receive two nominations for one performance.
• Jodie Foster was the first actor to win both nominations.
• Brad Davis is the only actor to win neither nomination.
• The only ceremony with multiple actors to receive two nominations for one performance was the 37th, with Phyllis Logan and Julie Walters. Logan and Walters were nominated (and won) against each other, effectively splitting categories.

Directing

Directors nominated for multiple films in the same year

The only director to receive dual nominations in the same year at the BAFTA Film Awards was Steven Soderbergh for Erin Brockovich and Traffic in 2000. Additionally, Sidney Lumet received one joint nomination for Murder on the Orient Express and Serpico in 1974.

Other

• Most awards won by a single film
  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), with 9 wins.
• Most nominations received by a single film
  • Gandhi (1982), with 16 nominations.
• Most awards won by a non English-language film
  • All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), with 7 wins.
• Most nominations received by a non English-language film
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), with 14 nominations each.
• Largest sweep (winning awards in every nominated category)
  • A Man for All Seasons (1966), with 7 wins.
• Most nominations without winning an award
  • Women in Love (1969) and Finding Neverland (2004), with 11 nominations each.
• Most total nominations and awards for a person
  • Woody Allen received 24 nominations and won 10 awards.
• Most nominations and awards for a person in a single year
  • Alfonso Cuarón received six nominations and won four awards in 2018.
• Most total awards for a woman
  • Judi Dench and Catherine Martin won six awards each.
• Most total nominations for a woman
  • Sandy Powell received 16 nominations.
• Highest "perfect score"
  • Composer Ennio Morricone has six nominations and six wins.
• Only actor to win a BAFTA for portraying a real BAFTA winner
  • Cate Blanchett won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for portraying Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004).
    • NOTE: Robert Downey Jr. won Best Actor in a Leading Role for portraying Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin (1992). Chaplin received the BAFTA Fellowship, an honorary award, but never won a competitive BAFTA.
• Only actor to be nominated for a voice-only performance
  • Eddie Murphy nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for voicing Donkey in Shrek (2001).
• Oldest person to win an award
  • James Ivory, age 89 (Best Adapted Screenplay, Call Me by Your Name, 2017).
• Youngest person to win an award
  • Jodie Foster, age 13 (Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles, Bugsy Malone / Taxi Driver, 1976).

Ceremonies

See also

• British Academy of Film and Television Arts
• British Academy Television Awards

References

1. "David Lean's Letter to the Academy". Bafta.org. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
2. "BAFTA Awards: Overview". IMDb. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
3. "History of BAFTA". BAFTA.org. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
4. "Mitzi Cunliffe and the BAFTA Mask". BAFTA. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012.
5. "Switched On: Television joins the fold". BAFTA.org. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
6. "The Strictly shuffle: Baftas shake things up with new TV format as awards go live". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
7. Orlova-Alvarez, Tamara; Alvarez, Joe (13 February 2017). "Royal BAFTAs". Ikon London Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
8. Orlova-Alvarez, Tamara; Alvarez, Joe (13 February 2018). "Jennifer Lawrence EE British Academy Film and Television Awards". Ikon London Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
9. Ntim, Zac (20 September 2022). "BAFTA To Move 2023 Film Awards To Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall". Screen International. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
10. Wilkinson, Alex. "EE Announced as Title Sponsor for the British Academy Film Awards in 2013". EE Corporate Site. Saatchi&Saatchi. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
11. "The Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award – Awards". BAFTA. 6 March 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
12. Eng, Joyce (7 January 2020). "My own worst enemy: Margot Robbie is the latest actor to score 2 BAFTA nominations in a single category". Retrieved 24 February 2024.
13. "BBC One London – 4 March 1971". BBC Programme Index. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022.
14. "Tonight's ATV… in 1972".
15. ^ "BBC One London – 26 February 1975". BBC Programme Index. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020.
16. "BBC One London – 24 March 1977". BBC Programme Index. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022.
17. Ritman, Alex (21 June 2021). "BAFTA Sets Date for 2022 Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023.
18. "David Tennant to host the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards". www.bafta.org. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.

External links

• Official website
• BAFTA Awards database
• Museum of Broadcast Communications: BAFTA
• IMDB: BAFTA

• British Academy Film Awards
• British Academy of Film and Television Arts
• British film awards
• Awards established in 1947
• British television specials
• 1947 establishments in the United Kingdom
• Annual events in the United Kingdom