BAFTA 2025: ‘Emilia Perez’ and ‘Conclave’ Lead the Longlist with Multiple Nominations

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has unveiled its longlists for the upcoming 2025 BAFTA Film Awards, and two films have emerged as early frontrunners: Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez and Edward Berger’s Conclave. The two high-profile contenders have dominated across multiple categories, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting awards season.

Emilia Perez, the international drama from Jacques Audiard, has made an impressive impact by securing 15 longlist nominations. This marks a record-tying achievement, equaling the feat set by All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) and matched by Oppenheimer, Barbie, and Killers of the Flower Moon in 2024. The film’s nominations span a wide range of categories, including Best Film, Best Director for Audiard, Best Adapted Screenplay, Film Not in the English Language, and a Leading Actress nod for Karla Sofia Gascon. The film has also received strong recognition in the Supporting Actress category, with Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldana, and Adriana Paz all earning longlist mentions.

Trailing closely behind is Conclave, the gripping political drama directed by Edward Berger, which earned 14 nominations. Among the standout mentions are Best Film, Best Director for Berger, and acting nominations for Ralph Fiennes in the Leading Actor category, Stanley Tucci in Supporting Actor, and Isabella Rossellini in Supporting Actress.

Several other films have also garnered significant attention in this year’s longlists. The Substance, a film from Mubi, received 11 mentions across various categories, while The Brutalist and A Complete Unknown, the biographical film about Bob Dylan, also earned 11 longlist spots each. Notably, Wicked and Dune: Part Two both secured 10 mentions, with Dune making a strong showing in technical categories, including Costume Design. Ridley Scott’s much-anticipated Gladiator II also found its place with 9 nominations, mostly in technical categories, though the inclusion of Denzel Washington in the Supporting Actor category stands out as a notable achievement. Washington, a two-time Academy Award winner, has yet to receive a BAFTA nomination, making this a significant moment in his career.

While some films have fared well in the longlists, others have underperformed. Challengers, the sports drama from Luca Guadagnino, only garnered two mentions in Original Screenplay and Editing. Similarly, Nickel Boys, which had been generating considerable buzz earlier in the year, earned only a single mention in Adapted Screenplay.

In a year full of surprises, Dev Patel made an unexpected appearance in the Leading Actor category for his performance in Monkey Man, and Ellen Kuras received a rare Director nomination for her work on Lee, a biographical drama. These nominations add an element of intrigue to the competition as the race for the final nominations heats up.

The next stage in the process will see BAFTA voting members casting their votes between January 3 and January 10, 2025, to determine the official shortlist in each category. The final round of voting will take place from January 22 to February 11, 2025, with the BAFTA Film Awards ceremony scheduled for February 16, 2025.

As the countdown to the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards continues, Emilia Perez and Conclave have emerged as the top contenders, but with several strong films in the mix, the race remains wide open. The longlists give us a glimpse into what could be a thrilling awards season ahead.

Full Longlist Highlights

Best Film

• Anora
• The Apprentice
• The Brutalist
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Perez
• Kneecap
• The Substance
• Wicked

Leading Actress

• Amy Adams, Nightbitch
• Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Perez
• Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
• Demi Moore, The Substance

Leading Actor

• Dev Patel, Monkey Man
• Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
• Timothee Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
• Adrien Brody, The Brutalist

Supporting Actress

• Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
• Selena Gomez, Emilia Perez
• Ariana Grande, Wicked

Director

• Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez
• Edward Berger, Conclave
• Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two
• Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light

Film Not in the English Language

• Emilia Perez
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• Kneecap
• All We Imagine as Light