Everything You Need To Know About The BAFTAs!

Recently, I saw a few pictures of Kate Middleton looking fancy at the BAFTAs, and It got me thinking something you might have thought yourself: what exactly happens at the BAFTAs? They must be prestigious if royalty is involved, right? Well, I’m here to shine the light on what the BAFTAs are, and why they matter.

Prince William is actually the President of BAFTA, which explains why he and Kate got to stunt on the red carpet together. BAFTA stands for British Academy of Film and Television Arts. This Academy gives its own awards, much like the Academy Awards in America. Now, more than ever, the BAFTAs are a strong predictor of who could win it all in the 2019 Academy Awards. As both award shows welcome foreign films (looking at you, Roma), it makes sense why their nominations are beginning to match up. Of course, the British Academy is dedicated to celebrating British films, but it’s good to see other films of equal merit win some recognition.

At this year's BAFTAs, which happened over the weekend, The Favourite won the most awards, 7 in all, and with that spelling it’s clear that this was a Very British Movie. I suspect that some British patriotism, maybe even favouritism, was at play here. Still, it makes this movie’s Oscar chances seem promising, especially in the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, where Olivia Colman and Rachel Wiesz won BAFTAs, respectively.

Best Picture at the BAFTAs, however, went to Roma, an American and Mexican co-production. Alfonso Cuarón also won for Best Cinematography and Best Director. If I was a film nominated alongside Roma at the Oscars right now, I’d be getting worried.

Rami Malek took home Best Actor in a Leading Role, giving this American good odds for the Oscar win in 2 weeks. As we saw with Gary Oldman’s win last year as Winston Churchill, if there’s one thing the Academy likes, it’s the transformation of actors into real people with the help of impressive makeup techniques.

Green Book’s Mahershala Ali won Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and this could mean a lot. Despite its small showing at the BAFTAs, Green Book has been raking in all the awards in the U.S. It might be an upset, but Green Book, as well as Mr. Ali, definitely has a fair chance in the Best Picture Oscar race.

With no surprise from anyone, A Star is Born took home Best Original Music. This gives it good chances at the Oscars, but tbh we been knew. Lady Gaga couldn't be there to accept the award because she was performing “Shallow” at the Grammys at the same time. Enough said.

The lovable Letitia Wright won the EE Rising Star Award, which is voted on by the public. She can take her unique blue mask with her when she goes to the Oscars for her Best Picture-nominated Black Panther. Side note: BAFTA awards are these cool-looking gold masks, except for the Rising Star award, which is a nice turquoise blue.

Lastly, a shoutout to Free Solo, which won Best Documentary. This is a good sign for its Oscar chances, and I have high hopes (get it?) that this heart-stopping movie will win Best Documentary on the 24th, if only to see the chillest of chill acceptance speeches if they let climber Alex Honnold take the mic. A girl can dream.

Check out the full list of winners below and decide for yourself whether the Brits got it right or missed the mark this year.

Best Film

BlacKkKlansman

The Favourite

Green Book

Roma

A Star Is Born

Outstanding British Film

Beast

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

McQueen

Stan & Ollie

You Were Never Really Here

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer

Apostasy -- Daniel Kokotajlo

Beast -- Michael Pearce, Lauren Dark

A Cambodian Spring -- Chris Kelly

Pili -- Leanne Welham, Sophie Harman

Ray & Liz -- Richard Billingham, Jacqui Davies

Film Not in the English Language

Capernaum

Cold War

Dogman

Roma

Shoplifters

Documentary

Free Solo

McQueen

RBG

They Shall Not Grow Old

Three Identical Strangers

Animated Film

Incredibles 2

Isle of Dogs

Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse

Director

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Pawel Pawlikowski, Cold War

Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite

Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Original Screenplay

Cold War

The Favourite

Green Book

Roma

Vice

Adapted Screenplay

BlacKkKlansman

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

irst Man

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star Is Born

Leading Actress

Glenn Close, The Wife

Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Viola Davis, Widows

Leading Actor

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Christian Bale, Vice

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Steve Coogan, Stan & Ollie

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, Vice

Claire Foy, First Man

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Margot Robbie, Mary Queen of Scots

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Supporting Actor

Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Sam Rockwell, Vice

Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Original Music

BlacKkKlansman

If Beale Street Could Talk

Isle of Dogs

Mary Poppins Returns

A Star Is Born

Cinematography

Bohemian Rhapsody

Cold War

The Favourite

First Man

Roma

Editing

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

First Man

Roma

Vice

Production Design

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The Favourite

First Man

Mary Poppins Returns

Roma

Costume Design

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Queen of Scots

Makeup & Hair

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

Mary Queen of Scots

Stan & Ollie

Vice

Sound

Bohemian Rhapsody

First Man

Mission: Impossible -- Fallout

A Quiet Place

A Star Is Born

Special Visual Effects

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

First Man

Ready Player One

British Short Animation

"I'm OK"

"Marfa"

"Roughhouse"

British Short Film

"73 Cows"

"Bachelor, 38"

"The Blue Door"

"The Field"

"Wale"

EE Rising Star Award

Barry Keoghan

Cynthia Erivo

Jessie Buckley

Lakeith Stanfield

Letitia Wright

(Top image via David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

- Meg Spaulding, YH Contributing Writer