Bafta Film Awards Shake-Up: ‘One Battle After Another’ Sweep Rewrites Awards Momentum Ahead of the Oscars

The six-prize haul for the politically charged thriller One Battle After Another at the Bafta Film Awards on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, changes the immediate awards-season math: the film now enters the final sprint toward the Oscars next month with clear momentum. That shift matters because it concentrates attention on categories the title won and frames much of the night’s star arrivals and photo moments in London.

How the Bafta Film Awards result alters the run-up to the Oscars

Here’s the part that matters: winning best picture plus five other prizes gives One Battle After Another a visible narrative advantage as contenders converge on the Academy Awards next month. The sweep suggests voting blocs and publicity energy are coalescing around the film’s creative team, and it reframes the headline conversations that will follow into the next voting period.

Event snapshot and key facts from the night

The ceremony was the 79th British Academy Film Awards, held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. One Battle After Another was described in coverage as a politically charged thriller and took six prizes overall, including best picture, an outcome noted as building momentum ahead of the Oscars next month.

Winners, trophies and posed photos

• ‘One Battle After Another’ received awards for best picture among six prizes; images show Andy Jurgensen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sara Murphy, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Cassandra Kulukundis, and Michael Bauman posing with awards for best director, cinematography, and adapted screenplay tied to that film at the 79th awards.
• Jessie Buckley posed with the award for leading actress for Hamnet.
• Robert Aramayo posed with the EE Rising Star award and with the award for leading actor for I Swear.
• Wunmi Mosaku posed with the award for supporting actress for Sinners.

Red-carpet arrivals, nominations and notable moments

Stars arriving included Glenn Close, Alicia Vikander, Chase Infiniti, and Monica Bellucci. Additional arrivals and attendees named for the night were Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson, and Ryan Coogler, alongside British actors Jessie Buckley and Carey Mulligan. Australian star Rose Byrne, nominated for a BAFTA for Leading Actress for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, expressed joy at being at the ceremony in London. Arriving at the Bafta Film Awards, Sinners actor Wunmi Mosaku described her joy at the warm reception for the film at home in Britain.

KPop Demon Hunters musical stars HUNTR/X were noted as having a furry animal in their sights at this year’s Bafta Film Awards in London.

Britain’s Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrived at the 79th British Academy Film Awards with Jane Millichip, CEO of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and Ken Olisa, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London.

It’s easy to overlook, but the mix of international and British talent onstage and on the carpet underscored how the ceremony doubled as both a national showcase and a final international bellwether before the Oscars.

• Winners and images from Feb. 22 now provide a shorthand for awards-season narratives into next month’s Oscars.
• Stakeholders most directly affected: the creative teams and performers tied to One Battle After Another, and the campaigns for actors who won leading categories such as Jessie Buckley and Robert Aramayo.
• Signals that would confirm a continued shift: similar voting outcomes or high-profile recognition for the same film at the upcoming Oscars next month; unclear in the provided context whether that will occur.
• The night’s public moments—the royal arrival at the Royal Festival Hall and the high-profile red-carpet guests—amplified visibility for winners and nominees alike.

The real question now is how that momentum plays out on Oscar ballots next month; Recent updates indicate the Bafta results have already become a central talking point in the awards conversation.