BAFTAs 2024: Oppenheimer’s clean sweep, Scorsese’s snub

Biopic thriller ‘Oppenheimer’ continued its award-winning run this year by claiming seven awards at the 77th British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs) in the Royal Festival Hall, London, on Sunday.

The Cillian Murphy-starrer about the life and career of J Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, won the coveted golden masks for best film, best director for Christopher Nolan, and best lead actor for Murphy.

Additionally, Robert Downey Jr took home the best supporting actor award, while the film’s technical prowess shone through with wins for editing, cinematography, and original score.

This dominant showing wasn’t the only story of the night. Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things followed the lead and made a strong impression with five BAFTAs, including best leading actress for Emma Stone and accolades for costume, hair and make-up, production design, and visual effects. 

Meanwhile, The Holdovers, the acclaimed independent production starring Paul Giamatti, garnered two awards for supporting actress with Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s performance and casting.

The evening kicked off with host and Doctor Who actor David Tennant, channeling his lockdown era chemistry with his Good Omens co-star Michael Sheen. A pre-recorded sketch, reminiscent of the actors’ lockdown series, included Sheen’s canine companion, Bark Ruffalo, along with a star-studded cameo list including Tom Hiddleston and Judi Dench. 

Deep into the awards’ season, some highly anticipated contenders with Oscar buzz faced disappointment. Despite entering with nine nominations, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon remained empty-handed. Similarly, Bradley Cooper’s Netflix directorial debut Maestro with seven nominations and the year’s biggest box office hit, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, also went home without awards.

Adding a touch of international flair in a dazzling Sabyasachi Mukherjee look, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone presented the award for best foreign language film. The recipient, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, took home a total of three BAFTAs, including outstanding British film and best foreign language film.

The evening also saw football legend David Beckham presenting the outstanding British debut award to film Earth Mama’s writer and director Savanah Leaf, and producers Shirley O’Connor and Medb Riordan. Meanwhile, pop sensation Dua Lipa awarded the prestigious outstanding British film accolade to The Zone of Interest.