Oppenheimer, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest dominated the 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday, 18 February 2024.
Christopher Nolan’s biographical epic Oppenheimer was the night’s standout, securing several of the event’s most prestigious awards, including Best Film. Cillian Murphy earned Best Actor for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, while Robert Downey Jr. took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a competitive field. Nolan himself was honoured with Best Director; his frequent collaborator Hoyte van Hoytema won for Cinematography, and composer Ludwig Göransson received the award for Best Score.
Poor Things achieved a strong showing in the technical categories, sweeping awards for Visual Effects, Costume Design, and Hair & Make-Up. Emma Stone, the film’s lead, won Best Actress for her performance.
The Zone of Interest achieved the rare distinction of winning both Outstanding British Film and Film Not in the English Language, and it also received recognition for Sound. The film’s success across these categories underscored its critical impact and cultural significance within this year’s BAFTA slate.
In an emotional highlight of the evening, acclaimed British actress and filmmaker Samantha Morton was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship. Morton, whose career spans distinctive, character-driven performances across film and television, used her acceptance speech to draw attention to the needs of marginalised children. She paid tribute to fellow director Ken Loach and recalled how Loach’s film Kes made her feel recognised as a child from a disadvantaged background.
The ceremony was attended by numerous high-profile guests, including international celebrities such as David Beckham. Tom Cruise appeared to deliver a tribute to Samantha Morton, emphasizing the global reach and camaraderie of the film industry. The 2024 BAFTA Film Awards served as a celebratory moment for filmmakers who persevered through the challenges of 2023, highlighting a year that produced both commercial successes and artistically ambitious films.
Complete list of winners at the 77th British Academy Film Awards
Best Film – Oppenheimer
Other nominees included Anatomy of a Fall; The Holdovers; Killers of the Flower Moon; Poor Things.
Outstanding British Film – The Zone of Interest
Other nominees 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
Other nominees were 20 Days in Mariupol; Anatomy of a Fall; Past Lives; Society of the Snow.
Documentary – 20 Days in Mariupol
Other nominees: American Symphony; Beyond Utopia; Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie; Wham!.
Animated Film – The Boy and the Heron
Other nominees 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)
Other nominees: 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 included 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)
Other nominees: 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)
Other 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 & Greta Gerwig (Barbie); David Hemingson (The Holdovers); Bradley Cooper & 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)
Other nominees: 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: Ferrari; Maestro; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One; Oppenheimer.
Production Design – Poor Things
Other nominees: 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
Other nominees: 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 nominees: 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
Other nominees: 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 recognized a diverse range of films and talents, celebrating both major studio productions and smaller, distinctive works. The awards highlighted achievements in performance, technical craft, and storytelling, affirming the continued vitality of international and British cinema alike.