History was made at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards — and it belongs to Ryan Coogler and his genre-bending vampire thriller, Sinners.
The film took home three BAFTA wins, making it the most-decorated film directed by a Black filmmaker in the ceremony’s history. It surpasses 12 Years a Slave, directed by Steve McQueen, which won two awards in 2014.
Sinners earned 13 nominations — the most ever for a film directed by a Black filmmaker — and secured three major victories:
- Best Original Screenplay – Ryan Coogler
- Best Supporting Actress – Wunmi Mosaku
- Best Original Score – Ludwig Göransson
With his win, Coogler became the first Black winner in BAFTA’s Original Screenplay category.
“I didn’t expect that,” Coogler said at the podium. “This is nerve-racking.”
But what followed was bigger than shock — it was gratitude rooted in community:
“I come from a community that loves me. They made me believe that I could do this, that I could be a writer… For all the writers out there, when y’all look at that blank page, think of who you love. Think of anybody who you’ve seen in pain that you identify with and wish they felt better — and let that love motivate you.”
That’s legacy talk.
Wunmi Mosaku’s Moment
Mosaku’s Supporting Actress win further shifts the awards season conversation. Her performance as Annie has been widely praised, and her BAFTA victory cracks open the race heading into the Oscars.
And let’s be clear — this wasn’t just about momentum. It was about recognition.
The Bigger Picture
The BAFTAs have faced criticism in recent years for racial and gender disparities among nominees and winners. Following backlash in 2020, the organization restructured its voting process, expanded membership to underrepresented groups, and required voters to watch all longlisted films.
This year’s results suggest those reforms may be yielding tangible change.
However, it’s worth noting that BAFTA has still never awarded a Black filmmaker with Best Director.
Box Office + Oscar Impact
Released in April 2025, Sinners grossed approximately $368–369 million globally — an impressive run for an original, non-sequel, non-IP-driven film. It also shattered the all-time Oscar nominations record with 16 Academy Award nominations, surpassing previous record-holders:
- La La Land
- Titanic
- All About Eve
All of which held the prior record at 14 nominations.
At the Oscars, Coogler will compete in Original Screenplay against a stacked lineup including Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, Blue Moon, and It Was Just an Accident. Notably, only one Black screenwriter has ever won the Academy Award for Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele for Get Out in 2018 — also a horror film.
Final Oscar voting runs from February 26 through March 5, with the 98th Academy Awards airing March 15 on ABC.