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BAFTAs 2025: Two 'British Oscars' for Jesse Eisenberg’s Poland-set 'A Real Pain'

17.02.2025 09:40
'A Real Pain,' written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, who also stars in the film, was honored with two BAFTA awards.
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Jesse Eisenberg who accepted Kieran Culkins Best Supporting Actor award on his behalf for A Real Pain poses in the press room during the BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Britain, 16 February 2025. The ceremony is hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Jesse Eisenberg who accepted Kieran Culkin's Best Supporting Actor award on his behalf for 'A Real Pain' poses in the press room during the BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Britain, 16 February 2025. The ceremony is hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).Photo: TOLGA AKMEN/PAP/EPA

BAFTA, often seen as the British equivalent of the Oscars, is a prestigious film awards organization and a key predictor for the Academy Awards.

On Sunday evening, at the 78th BAFTA ceremony in London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Poland-shot comedy earned Jesse Eisenberg Best Original Screenplay and Kieran Culkin Best Supporting Actor.

Culkin was unable to accept the award in person, so Eisenberg did so on his behalf.

Eisenberg not only wrote the screenplay - infused with autobiographical elements - but also directed the film and played one of the lead roles.

“I want to share this with my wife, who didn’t come because she didn’t think I’d win,” Eisenberg joked while accepting his BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay.

'A Real Pain' – what is the film about?

The film follows cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they travel from the U.S. to Poland to honor their late grandmother’s memory.

Along the way, they visit sites tied to their Jewish family history and the Holocaust, confronting both generational trauma and their own strained relationship. Their journey through Warsaw, as well as Lublin and Krasnystaw in eastern Poland, becomes an opportunity for reconciliation and self-discovery.

BAFTA 2025: Full list of winners

Other major winners included The Conclave, directed by Edward Berger, which took home four BAFTAs, including Best Film, Best British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing.

The Brutalist by Brady Corbet also won four awards, including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Score, and Best Leading Actor (Adrien Brody).

Adrien Brody wins Leading Actor | BAFTA Film Awards 2025

Adrien Brody wins Leading Actor for the film The Brutalist, and thanks his 'Brutalist gang'. #BAFTA #BAFTAFilmAwards #AdrienBrody #TheBrutalist It's the biggest and most glittering night in British cinema, celebrating the outstanding films of the year. Who will win a prestigious BAFTA award?

Opublikowany przez BBC One Niedziela, 16 lutego 2025

Meanwhile, Emilia Perez by Jacques Audiard was recognized for Best Film Not in the English Language and Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldana).

Zoe Saldana poses in the press room after winning the Best Supporting Actress award for 'Emilia Perez' during the BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Britain, 16 February 2025. The ceremony is hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Photo: TOLGA AKMEN/PAP/EPA Zoe Saldana poses in the press room after winning the Best Supporting Actress award for 'Emilia Perez' during the BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Britain, 16 February 2025. The ceremony is hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Photo: TOLGA AKMEN/PAP/EPA

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Source: BAFTA/BBC/X/@BritBox_US/@LuisPecheVE

Click on the audio player above to listen to a report by Agnieszka Bielawska.


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