Oppenheimer, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest stood out as the leading films at the 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday 18 February 2024.
Christopher Nolan’s biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer captured several of the evening’s most prestigious honours, including Best Film. The movie’s lead, Cillian Murphy, won Best Actor, while Robert Downey Jr. took the award for Supporting Actor in a competitive field. Nolan was named Best Director; his frequent collaborator Hoyte van Hoytema won for Cinematography and composer Ludwig Göransson received the prize for Original Score. These wins reflect strong recognition for the film’s creative team across direction, performance, visuals and music.
Poor Things dominated many of the technical categories, claiming awards such as Visual Effects, Costume Design and Make-up & Hair. Its lead actress, Emma Stone, was honoured with the BAFTA for Best Actress, underlining the film’s impact both in front of and behind the camera.
The Zone of Interest achieved a notable distinction at this ceremony by securing both Outstanding British Film and Film Not in the English Language, and it also won for Sound. This rare combination highlights the film’s resonance with British audiences and critics, as well as its technical excellence.
In an emotional highlight of the night, British actor and filmmaker Samantha Morton was presented with the BAFTA Fellowship, the academy’s highest individual honour. Morton used her acceptance speech to champion the rights and visibility of marginalised children, offering a personal tribute to the films and artists who shaped her own early identity. Her remarks were heartfelt and memorable, and the presentation included tributes from peers and industry figures.
The ceremony was a star-studded affair, attended by many notable industry figures and public personalities. The presence of high-profile guests and on-stage tributes added to the evening’s celebratory tone, marking the BAFTAs as both an industry recognition event and a cultural moment reflecting the challenges and achievements of the film world over the past year.
Full list of winners and nominees at the 77th British Academy Film Awards
Best Film – Oppenheimer
Nominees included Anatomy of a Fall; The Holdovers; Killers of the Flower Moon; Poor Things.
Outstanding British Film – The Zone of Interest
Other contenders included All of Us Strangers; How to Have Sex; Napoleon; The Old Oak; Poor Things; Rye Lane; Saltburn; Scrapper; Wonka.
Film Not In the English Language – The Zone of Interest
Also nominated: 20 Days In Mariupol; Anatomy of a Fall; Past Lives; Society of the Snow.
Documentary – 20 Days In Mariupol
Other nominees included American Symphony; Beyond Utopia; Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie; Wham!
Animated Film – The Boy and the Heron
Nominees also included Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget; Elemental; Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Director – Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)
Other nominees: Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers); Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall); Alexander Payne (The Holdovers); Bradley Cooper (Maestro); Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest).
Cinematography – Hoyte van Hoytema (Oppenheimer)
Nominees included Rodrigo Prieto (Killers of the Flower Moon); Matthew Libatique (Maestro); Robbie Ryan (Poor Things); Łukasz Żal (The Zone of Interest).
Editing – Jennifer Lame (Oppenheimer)
Other nominees: Laurent Sénéchal (Anatomy of a Fall); Thelma Schoonmaker (Killers of the Flower Moon); Yorgos Mavropsaridis (Poor Things); Paul Watts (The Zone of Interest).
Leading Actress – Emma Stone (Poor Things)
Also nominated: Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple); Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall); Carey Mulligan (Maestro); Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane); Margot Robbie (Barbie).
Leading Actor – Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)
Other nominees: Bradley Cooper (Maestro); Colman Domingo (Rustin); Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers); Barry Keoghan (Saltburn); Teo Yoo (Past Lives).
Supporting Actress – Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)
Nominees included Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer); Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple); Claire Foy (All of Us Strangers); Sandra Hüller (The Zone of Interest); Rosamund Pike (Saltburn).
Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)
Other nominees: Robert De Niro (Killers of the Flower Moon); Jacob Elordi (Saltburn); Ryan Gosling (Barbie); Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers); Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers).
Casting – The Holdovers
Other nominees included All of Us Strangers; Anatomy of a Fall; How to Have Sex; Killers of the Flower Moon.
Original Screenplay – Arthur Harari, Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall)
Other nominees: Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig (Barbie); David Hemingson (The Holdovers); Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer (Maestro); Celine Song (Past Lives).
Adapted Screenplay – Cord Jefferson (American Fiction)
Other nominees: Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers); Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer); Tony McNamara (Poor Things); Martin Amis (The Zone of Interest).
Original Score – Ludwig Göransson (Oppenheimer)
Also nominated: Robbie Robertson (Killers of the Flower Moon); Jerskin Fendrix (Poor Things); Anthony Willis (Saltburn); Daniel Pemberton (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse).
Sound – The Zone of Interest
Other nominees included Ferrari; Maestro; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One; Oppenheimer.
Production Design – Poor Things
Nominees included Barbie; Killers of the Flower Moon; Oppenheimer; The Zone of Interest.
Costume Design – Poor Things
Other nominees: Barbie; Killers of the Flower Moon; Napoleon; Oppenheimer.
Make-up and Hair – Poor Things
Also nominated: Killers of the Flower Moon; Maestro; Napoleon; Oppenheimer.
Special Visual Effects – Poor Things
Other nominees included The Creator; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One; Napoleon.
British Short Film – Jellyfish and Lobster
Other shortlisted films: Festival of Slaps; Gorka; Such a Lovely Day; Yellow.
British Short Animation – Crab Day
Other nominees: Visible Mending; Wild Summon.
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer – Earth Mama
Also recognised: Blue Bag Life; Bobi Wine: The People’s President; How to Have Sex; Is There Anybody Out There?
EE BAFTA Rising Star Award – Mia McKenna-Bruce
Other nominees: Phoebe Dynevor; Ayo Edebiri; Jacob Elordi; Sophie Wilde.
Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema – June Givanni
BAFTA Fellowship – Samantha Morton
The 77th BAFTAs highlighted the diversity of contemporary cinema, balancing mainstream studio achievements with smaller, critically acclaimed works. Across acting, technical crafts and storytelling categories, the winners represented a year of strong artistic work and technical innovation. The ceremony served as both an awards event and a reflection on the state of film, celebrating creators, performers and technicians who contributed to a memorable year at the movies.