The genre-defying vampire thriller became the most-decorated film from a Black director in the ceremony’s storied history — and its creator had no idea it was coming.
Ryan Coogler walked into the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards not knowing what to expect. He walked out having made history.
The writer-director’s Sinners, a genre-bending vampire thriller that captivated global audiences and critics alike, claimed three awards at Sunday’s ceremony in London — more than any film directed by a Black filmmaker in the British awards show’s history. The record had previously been held by 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen’s harrowing 2014 drama, which took home two bronze masks that year.
For Coogler, a filmmaker who built his name on emotionally charged, community-rooted storytelling, the night was both a milestone and a moment of genuine disbelief.
A Historic Night for Coogler and Sinners
The three wins — Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku, Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson, and Best Original Screenplay for Coogler himself — came from 13 total BAFTA nominations, itself a record for any film helmed by a Black director.
When Coogler reached the podium to accept Best Original Screenplay, becoming the first Black filmmaker to win in that category, he barely had the words.
His remarks centered not on industry accolades, but on the community that shaped him — the people who believed in his voice long before any awards body did. He offered a direct message to writers staring down blank pages, encouraging them to channel love and empathy as creative fuel.
It was the kind of speech that felt less like an awards moment and more like something worth writing down.
The Competition Coogler Conquered
The Best Original Screenplay category was far from a coronation. Coogler bested a field that included Kirk Jones’s British contender I Swear, Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent. That he prevailed against such an internationally celebrated lineup makes the win all the more significant.
BAFTA’s Push Toward Inclusion
The milestone arrives against the backdrop of BAFTA‘s ongoing efforts to address years of criticism over diversity gaps in its nominations and winners. After significant backlash in 2020 over the lack of representation across nominees, the organization overhauled its nomination process, broadened its membership to include underrepresented voices, and required members to watch all longlisted films before casting votes. Sunday’s results suggest those structural changes are yielding meaningful outcomes.
The Sinners Phenomenon
Released in April 2025, Sinners became one of the year’s most remarkable commercial and critical stories. The film earned approximately $368 million at the global box office — a staggering figure for an original, non-adapted, non-franchise property in an era dominated by sequels and intellectual property.
The accolades have not slowed since. Sinners, led by Michael B. Jordan, went on to shatter a long-standing Academy Awards record, earning 16 Oscar nominations — surpassing the previous record of 14 shared by La La Land (2016), Titanic (1997), and All About Eve (1950).
From a blank page to the most-nominated film in Oscar history, Coogler’s Sinners is no longer just a movie. It’s a cultural landmark still writing its own ending.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
