Conclave wins best picture at BAFTAs, Emilia Perez shows it’s still a contender

London – Papal thriller Conclave has won best picture and three more gongs at the 78th British Academy Film Awards, where genre-bending musical Emilia Pérez proved it’s still an awards contender, despite a multipronged backlash that looked to have dented its chances.

The Brutalist equalled the awards tally of Conclave, scooping four trophies, including best director for Brady Corbet and best actor for Adrien Brody. Australia’s Guy Pearce was nominated for best supporting actor for his role in the film as a wealthy industrialist, but lost out to Keiran Culkin for A Real Pain. The Brutalist also took awards for best cinematography and musical score.

Mikey Madison won the best actress prize for Brooklyn tragicomedy Anora.

Conclave, which stars Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal corralling conniving clergy as they elect a new pope, beat The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown to the top prize. Conclave was also named outstanding British film and took trophies for editing and adapted screenplay.

Best supporting actress went to Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez, which also won the award for best film not in the English language.

Saldaña won for her role as a lawyer who helps the title character transition to a woman and out of a life of crime. She called the film “the creative challenge of a lifetime.”

Best actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón, who stars as the titular transgender ex-cartel boss in Emilia Pérez, wasn’t at the ceremony. Gascón has withdrawn from promoting the film, which has 13 Oscar nominations, amid controversy over her social media posts disparaging Muslims, George Floyd and diversity at the Oscars.

Audiard has condemned those comments, but in his acceptance speech thanked Gascón and her co-stars Saldaña and Selena Gomez.