Tonight, the BBC airs the 2025 EE BAFTA Awards with stars arriving at the Royal Festival Hall in Southbank, London, for a night filled with incredible accolades and glamour. Leading nominations this year after religious drama Conclave, musical thriller Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist.
What does BAFTA stand for?
Of course, many viewers have tuned in just to watch their favourite Hollywood and British stars on the small screen, with little knowledge of the history of BAFTAs. So, there’s perhaps no surprise that ‘What does BAFTA stand for?’ is a breakout search on Google Trends.
For your information, BAFTA stands for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts!
What is BAFTA?
An independent arts charity, BAFTA support the entertainment industry by empowering and advocating for creatives at all stages of their career. The charity was launched 75 years ago, with their driving ambition being to improve accessibility, inclusion and sustainability on screen.
‘The only arts charity convening more than 12,000 extraordinary global members to create a thriving community of film, games and TV professionals,’ the BAFTA website reads. ‘We are proud to champion talent, help lay the foundations for industry change and recognise exceptional storytelling.’
How are the BAFTAS awarded?
The BAFTA Awards then are a vital part of that, with winners chosen from a special jury of nine BAFTA academy members for each award, with said members selected by Academy's Television Committee.
This year, winners so far include Zoe Saldana and Keiran Culkin for best supporting actors, Kneecap for outstanding debut film and Conclave for outstanding British film. Of course, fans were also obsessed with Selena Gomez's red carpet appearance, and Ariana Grande's plunging Louis Vuitton dress- as were we.
So, there you have it! Everything to know about the BAFTA Awards – happy viewing.