The British Academy Film Awards (the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards; officially the EE British Academy Film Awards since 2013) is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international film contributions. The ceremony was first held in London at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square Cinema, then the Royal Opera House from 2007 to 2016. The event was held at the Royal Albert Hall from 2017 to 2022, before moving to the Royal Festival Hall for 2023. The statue awarded to recipients depicts a theatrical mask. The BAFTA Awards are recognised internationally as the highest honour in British cinema, equivalent to the BAFTA TV Awards for television, Laurence Olivier Awards for theatre, and the BRIT Awards for music. The BAFTA Film Awards are considered equivalent to the Academy Awards.
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. The BAFTAs have been sponsored by EE since 2013.
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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.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was the host of the ceremony as the first president of BAFTA in 1960, 1963, and 1965.
Princess Anne presented the first Fellowship Award to Alfred Hitchcock in 1971, and subsequently attended the ceremony several times as President of BAFTA between 1973 and 2001.
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.
William, Prince of Wales attended the ceremony for the first time in 2010 after being named president of BAFTA, and has attended frequently since, including together with Catherine, Princess of Wales. He presented the BAFTA Fellowship award to Mel Brooks in 2017 and Kathleen Kennedy in 2020.
Broadcast
Historically, the Awards ceremony was broadcast on British television on a same-day delay, and later distributed internationally. The first broadcast was on the BBC in 1956, with Vivien Leigh (who would present an award to her ex husband Sir Laurence Olivier) as the host. It has been broadcast in colour since 1970. In the US the show was previously broadcast with a delay on BBC America until 2021, after which it has broadcast on streaming service BritBox. 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 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
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 Award for Best Animation (awarded 1955–1982)
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)
Britannia Awards (1989–2019)
Superlatives
Acting
Note: Dench and Finney's tally of wins and nominations includes those received in the Most Promising Newcomer category.
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.
Twenty three 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 twice against each other, and both won, effectively splitting categories.
Directing
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.
Most nominations received by an animated film
Shrek (2001), with 6 nominations.
First non-English language film to win Best Film
Bicycle Thieves in 1949.
First non-English language films to be nominated for Best Film
Four Steps in the Clouds, Monsieur Vincent and Paisan in 1948.
First animated film to be nominated for Best Film
Shrek (2001)
First animated film to win any screenplay categories
Shrek (2001), with Best Adapted Screenplay
Largest sweep (winning awards in every nominated category)