Hamnet Achieves BAFTA Recognition After Oscar Disappointment
The British film Hamnet has experienced a remarkable resurgence at the BAFTA nominations, securing an impressive 11 nominations after being overlooked in several major categories at the Oscars. This development marks a triumphant moment for the UK film industry and actor Paul Mescal, who received a best actor nomination from BAFTA following his exclusion from the Academy Awards shortlist.
BAFTA Nominations Announcement Details
The nominations for the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards were revealed during a special livestream event from London, presented by actors David Jonsson and Aimee Lou Wood. The announcement highlighted several standout productions, with One Battle After Another emerging as the frontrunner with 14 nominations across all categories. Close behind was Sinners with 13 nominations, while both Marty Supreme and Hamnet earned 11 nominations each.
Other notable recognition included Frankenstein receiving eight nominations and I Swear securing five nods. Significantly, Hamnet and Sinners achieved historic milestones by becoming the most-nominated films from a female director and a black director respectively in BAFTA's history.
Comparison with Oscar Nominations and Historical Context
BAFTA represents the final major awards body to announce its film nominations for the 2026 season, following the Academy Awards' revelation earlier in the week. The vampire thriller Sinners had previously made Oscar history with 16 nominations, though BAFTA's longlists released in early January had already indicated potential outcomes. These preliminary lists placed One Battle After Another in the lead position with 16 mentions, followed by Hamnet and Sinners with 14 each.
Historically, the most nominated film in BAFTA history remains Sir Richard Attenborough's 1982 drama Gandhi, which received 16 nominations and won five awards. The record for most wins by a single film belongs to the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with nine victories.
Notable Omissions and Eligibility Factors
The nomination process revealed several surprising exclusions, with major Hollywood stars including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Dwayne Johnson, and Sydney Sweeney failing to make the longlists. Additionally, confirmed Oscar best actor nominee and Golden Globe winner Wagner Moura was not included in BAFTA's longlist, indicating significant divergence between the awards bodies in acting categories.
The animated feature KPop Demon Hunters, despite dominating other awards in best animated feature and best song categories for its hit track Golden, was ineligible for BAFTA consideration due to its exclusive streaming release on Netflix, which doesn't meet the organization's eligibility criteria.
Awards Ceremony Details
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on Sunday, February 22. The event will be hosted by actor Alan Cumming, who takes over from previous host David Tennant, the former Doctor Who star who presided over the ceremonies in 2024 and 2025.
