Bafta 2026 Nominations Announced: A Stellar Line-Up of Contenders
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has officially unveiled the nominations for its highly anticipated 2026 film awards ceremony. This year's list showcases a diverse and compelling array of cinematic talent, with productions such as Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and Sinners emerging as frontrunners across multiple prestigious categories. The announcement sets the stage for a fiercely competitive awards season, highlighting both established auteurs and exciting new voices in the industry.
Top Categories: Best Film and Outstanding British Film
In the coveted Best Film category, five productions have been shortlisted for the top honour. The nominees are:
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
The Outstanding British Film category features an equally impressive roster, celebrating homegrown cinematic excellence. Notable nominees include 28 Years Later, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Die My Love, H Is for Hawk, Hamnet, I Swear Mr Burton, Pillion, and Steve.
Recognising Debut Talent and International Cinema
The Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer category shines a spotlight on emerging creatives. Nominations in this section include The Ceremony by Jack King, Hollie Bryan, and Lucy Meer; My Father's Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr and Wale Davies; Pillion by Harry Lighton; A Want in Her by Myrid Carten; and Wasteman by Cal McMau, Hunter Andrews, and Eoin Doran.
For Best Film Not in the English Language, the nominees are It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sirāt, and The Voice of Hind Rajab. The Best Documentary category features 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Apocalypse in the Tropics, Cover-Up, Mr Nobody Against Putin, and The Perfect Neighbor.
Animated and Family Films, Directorial Excellence
In animation, Elio, Little Amélie, and Zootropolis 2 are vying for Best Animated Film, with Arco Boong, Lilo & Stitch, and Zootropolis 2 also nominated for Best Children's and Family Film.
The Best Director category is packed with acclaimed filmmakers: Yorgos Lanthimos for Bugonia, Chloé Zhao for Hamnet, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value, and Ryan Coogler for Sinners.
Screenplay, Acting, and Technical Achievements
Original Screenplay nominations go to I Swear by Kirk Jones, Marty Supreme by Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, The Secret Agent by Kleber Mendonça Filho, Sentimental Value by Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, and Sinners by Ryan Coogler. Adapted Screenplay contenders include The Ballad of Wallis Island by Tom Basden and Tim Key, Bugonia by Will Tracy, Hamnet by Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell, One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson, and Pillion by Harry Lighton.
The acting categories feature a star-studded line-up. For Leading Actress, nominees are Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Emma Stone (Bugonia). Leading Actor nominees include Robert Aramayo (I Swear), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B Jordan (Sinners), and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia).
Supporting Actress contenders are Odessa A'zion (Marty Supreme), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Sentimental Value), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), Carey Mulligan (The Ballad of Wallis Island), Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another), and Emily Watson (Hamnet). Supporting Actor nominees feature Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another), Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Paul Mescal (Hamnet), Peter Mullan (I Swear), Sean Penn (One Battle After Another), and Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value).
Technical categories such as Best Casting, Cinematography, Editing, Costume Design, Make Up & Hair, Original Score, Production Design, Sound, and Special Visual Effects also see strong showings from films like Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and Sinners.
Short Films and the EE Rising Star Award
The British Short Animation nominees are Cardboard Solstice and Two Black Boys in Paradise. For British Short Film, the contenders include Magid / Zafar, Nostalgie, Terence, This Is Endometriosis, and Welcome Home Freckles.
Finally, the EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, features nominees Robert Aramayo, Miles Caton, Chase Infiniti, Archie Madekwe, and Posy Sterling. This comprehensive list underscores the vibrant and dynamic state of contemporary filmmaking, with the 2026 Bafta ceremony poised to be a landmark event in the cinematic calendar.
