After BAFTAs-so-White, is the award going to find its voice or become a mere precursor to Oscars?

One of the biggest surprises of this year’s awards night was Mikey Madison’s unexpected win for Best Actress for Anora, over Demi Moore’s predicted victory for her role in The Substance. Moore’s performance had been widely praised for its fearless portrayal of a veteran actress seeking to reverse the aging process through a black-market drug. She had already secured a string of accolades, including a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Award. Given the momentum behind her and her long career spanning over four decades, she seemed an undeniable frontrunner. Yet, Madison’s portrayal of a tormented woman in Anora captivated BAFTA voters.

This unpredictability is part of a larger conversation about how certain films, despite critical acclaim, struggle to gain traction in the awards circuit. A striking example of this is Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light. The film, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes, faced a difficult journey from critical success to major awards recognition. A poignant exploration of female friendship, class struggles, and societal expectations, the film captures the lives of three nurses navigating urban alienation and beauty. While universally lauded by critics, it found itself competing against Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest at the Golden Globes. At the BAFTAs, it was once again up against Emilia Pérez, which ultimately took the Best Film Not in the English Language award. One of the biggest setbacks for All We Imagine As Light was its exclusion from the Oscars race. The Film Federation of India opted not to submit it as India’s official entry for Best International Feature, a decision that baffled many. Given its strong festival run and international acclaim, it was widely considered the most promising Indian film for an Oscar nomination in years. Beyond being a mark of prestige, the Oscars offer a crucial platform for non-mainstream films to reach wider audiences. A nomination could have undoubtedly propelled the film into greater visibility, increasing its chances at the BAFTAs.

The film’s loss to Emilia Pérez at the awards is particularly baffling, considering the controversies surrounding the latter. Set in Mexico, Emilia Pérez tells the story of a cartel boss who fakes her death to transition into a woman. It has been marred by accusations of cultural insensitivity and transphobic portrayals. Director Jacques Audiard has also admitted to not conducting in-depth research into Mexican culture, while casting director Carla Hool faced backlash for comments suggesting a lack of local talent in Mexico. Additionally, the film’s lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón, found herself at the center of a social media scandal, with offensive posts resurfacing and triggering public backlash. These controversies have significantly overshadowed its critical acclaim.

In contrast, All We Imagine As Light, with its more nuanced and intimate portrayal of class, culture, and female friendship, represents the kind of non-Western film that often struggles to gain recognition. The film’s exclusion from the Oscars, along with its defeat at the BAFTAs, points to a broader issue within the industry: The lack of acknowledgment for films like this underscores the need for more proactive support for non-Western independent films, ensuring that diverse voices are not only heard but also celebrated at major awards events.

As BAFTA continues championing diversity, its role in the broader awards ecosystem is undeniably shifting. While once a near-certain harbinger of Oscar success, the increasing unpredictability of BAFTA outcomes suggests that its function as a precursor to the Oscars is changing. Whether this evolution strengthens the BAFTAs as a distinct and influential force in global cinema or diminishes their prestige remains to be observed over the coming years.

The writer is Assistant Professor, Hindu College, University of Delhi