In a stunning turn of events at the 2025 British Academy Film Awards, the night belonged to surprises, snubs, and dark horses emerging victorious. As the dust settled on the star-studded ceremony, industry insiders were left reeling from the unexpected winners and losers that upended predictions and reshaped the awards season landscape.
Conclave’s Surprise Triumph
Leading the pack of Bafta shockers was Conclave, the Vatican thriller that pulled off a best picture win against higher-profile contenders. Despite being labeled “middlebrow” by some critics, the film’s crowd-pleasing elements and late-breaking controversy apparently resonated with voters. The question now: can Conclave parlay its Bafta success into Oscar glory?
Fiennes Falters, Madison Rises
Equally surprising was the overlooking of Ralph Fiennes’ central performance in Conclave. Denied his second Bafta win, Fiennes fell to underdog Mikey Madison, whose edgy role as a sex worker in Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning Anora swayed voters. Madison’s upset win positions her as a serious Oscar rival to category frontrunner Demi Moore, who went home empty-handed despite high hopes for her The Substance comeback narrative.
Brutalist’s AI Backlash Quieted
Concerns that the AI-assisted turn by Adrien Brody in The Brutalist would repel voters proved unfounded, as Brody handily won best actor over a field that included Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Chalamet’s film, considered by some an Oscar dark horse, went a dismal 0-for-6 at the Baftas, casting doubt on its awards potential moving forward.
“The Baftas firmly positioned Conclave and The Brutalist as the films to beat heading into the Oscars, while exposing vulnerability in presumed contenders like A Complete Unknown and The Substance.”
– Awards pundit Joyce Eng
Animation Upset Shocks
Perhaps no win was more unexpected than Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl in animated film, besting the Pixar juggernaut Inside Out 2. The upset had pundits wondering if the quintessentially British franchise can leverage hometown advantage into Oscar fortune.
Under-the-Radar Victors Emerge
- Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, long considered an awards season casualty, scored wins for supporting actress Zoe Saldaña and non-English language film.
- Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story pulled off a documentary feature coup over more issues-oriented nominees.
As the industry absorbs the Bafta aftershocks, all eyes turn to the Academy Awards on March 4. Will the Brits’ bold choices repeat at the Oscars, or will the American Academy blaze its own contrarian path? In a highly fluid race, only one thing is certain: expect the unexpected.
