Leonardo DiCaprio's political satire "One Battle After Another" cemented its status as this awards season's frontrunner after winning Best Film and five other prizes at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London on Sunday.

The film, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, finished the night with six trophies, including Best Film, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn.

The BAFTAs at the Royal Festival Hall again served as Britain's top movie honors and a closely watched indicator ahead of the Oscars, with "One Battle After Another" entering the ceremony as the most nominated title on 14 nods and widely expected to perform strongly, according to The Guardian.

"One Battle After Another" is a darkly comic political thriller that follows a clash between a far-left revolutionary group and a white supremacist network led by Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, played by Penn, with DiCaprio's character drawn into a growing cycle of violence, public attention, and personal risk as the conflict spreads across the United States.

The story uses elements of satire, large-scale confrontations, and a father‑daughter relationship to show how rival factions harden their views while ordinary families struggle with the consequences of their choices, Cedars reported.

Anderson used his time on stage to reject the idea that cinema is in decline, saying that people who claim films are getting worse should come and speak to him in person. He also thanked his cast and crew, including DiCaprio, Penn, Chase Infinit, and Benicio del Toro, for supporting an ambitious production that he said demanded commitment from everyone involved.

Penn received Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lockjaw, marking a career first at the British awards after previous recognition for earlier films. The veteran actor was not in the room for the ceremony.

DiCaprio, however, did not take home Best Actor, with the prize going to Robert Aramayo for "I Swear," a drama about an activist living with Tourette's syndrome.

"One Battle After Another" prevailed over "Sinners," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," and "Sentimental Value" in the Best Film race, as per the New York Times.

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Leonardo DiCaprio, Film, Movie, BAFTA, Awards