The number of films competing for the best film category at the Bafta Film Awards is set to fall from 2025 following a rule announced today that will also likely see a change in the scale of release for streamer titles seeking eligibility in the awards.
From next year, titles competing for best film must achieve a significantly wider release – five times the current requirement.
From the 2025 awards onwards, films must be theatrically exhibited publicly for the first time to a paying audience on at least 50 commercial screens in the UK for at least seven days or achieve the equivalent of at least 350 screenings.
Presently, titles competing for virtually all categories of the Bafta Film Awards – including best film – must release in 10 screens for a week, or achieve at least 70 individual screenings.
The rule change only affects best film – so films would still be eligible in categories such as outstanding British film, documentary and film not in the English language with the smaller scale of release. If distributors wish those titles to be eligible in best film as well, they will need to ensure a release that meets the new qualification benchmark.
Impact
The impact is likely to be twofold. First, for Bafta voters not opted into chapters such as documentary and film not in the English language, but voting in best film, their viewing burden will likely reduce.
This year, among 236 features competing for best film at the Bafta Film Awards, there are 108 individual titles submitted across documentary and film not in the English language (including 11 competing in both). A significant number would have achieved, or are set to achieve, fewer than 350 commercial showings.
Unless distributors in future choose to release these titles more widely, there will be fewer documentaries and foreign-language films competing in best film. Recent releases such as Celine Song’s Past Lives and Justine Triet’s Anatomy Of A Fall would easily meet the new benchmark.
Then there are streamer films currently being released in 10 cinemas for a week to achieve eligibility for the Bafta Film Awards. In future, those films must be released instead into 50 cinemas.
This season, Apple Original Films has partnered with Paramount and Sony respectively for the release of Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, both playing in hundreds of cinemas. Conversely, Christos Nikou’s Fingernails appears to have been an awards-qualifying release – booked into cinemas for Apple by Altitude.
In the case of Netflix, Bradley Cooper’s Maestro was a wide release, and would have qualified for the best film Bafta under the new rule. But Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s Nyad appears to have been an awards-qualifying release. In future, a film such as Nyad would need to be released wider in order to qualify for best film.
Bafta announced the rule change after consulting with UK distributors, heads of UK studios, exhibitors, streamers, programmers, stakeholders, industry representative bodies and British production funding bodies. The change, says Bafta, “ensures Bafta is in-step with release patterns in the UK, and that British cinema audiences have access to best film contenders on the big screen”.
Anna Higgs, chair of Bafta’s Film Committee, added: “Our expanded theatrical screenings requirement will ensure film fans up and down the country have more opportunities to see best film contenders on the big screen, so they can join in the discussion and awards excitement along with Bafta voters. Developed in consultation with a wide range of industry stakeholders, we’re pleased to confirm this update ahead of the eligibility window for the 2025 Baftas opening on 1 January 2024.”
All other category and eligibility changes and voting rules will be announced as usual by Bafta next summer.
Phil Clapp, CEO at trade body UK Cinema Association (UKCA), commented: “I suspect most of our members will give today’s announcement a cautious welcome, but will at the same time hope that it’s just the first step towards a wider set of eligibility criteria ensuring that those titles being nominated - not just for best film but also the other major categories - are available to be enjoyed by the widest possible cinema audience. This would be something that not only benefits the industry at this time more than ever, but also ensures that the Awards themselves retain their relevance.”
He added: “That said, we welcome the open way Bafta has engaged on this issue, and look forward to that conversation continuing, not least in the light of experience as we see these new rules come into effect.”
Screen has contacted Netflix and Apple for comment. Altitude declined to confirm the size of UK release on recent Netflix titles.
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