Ludwig Göransson, the acclaimed Swedish composer, secured the prestigious best original music prize at the 2026 BAFTAs held in London on Sunday, February 22. This marks his second victory in the category within a span of three years, having previously claimed the award in 2024 for his exceptional work on Christopher Nolan’s "Oppenheimer." This achievement positions Göransson as the first composer to win twice in three years since Gustavo Santaolalla, who won for "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) and "Babel" (2006). The 2025 award in the same category went to Daniel Blumberg for "The Brutalist."

Göransson's win for "Sinners" at the BAFTAs was preceded by a series of significant triumphs in the score category at the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes, and Grammys, indicating strong critical acclaim for his latest work. He faced formidable competition, including Alexandre Desplat, a veteran nominee and three-time winner, who was nominated for his score for Guillermo Del Toro’s "Frankenstein." Other distinguished nominees included Jonny Greenwood for "One Battle After Another," Max Richter for "Hamnet," and Jerskin Fendrix for "Bugonia." Notably, these same five composers are also nominated for the upcoming Academy Awards on March 1, marking the first time in 14 years that both awards shows share the identical set of nominees in this category. In 2012, the awards were split, with Thomas Newman winning the BAFTA for "Skyfall" and Mychael Danna taking home the Oscar for "The Life of Pi."

Göransson was not present to accept his award, prompting "Sinners" director Ryan Coogler to humorously remark that the composer was occupied with a "small indie film" known as "The Odyssey," a reference to Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated epic due for release this summer. "Sinners" itself garnered considerable attention, receiving 13 nominations across various categories and securing two additional awards: best original screenplay and best supporting actress for Wunmi Mosaku.

Elsewhere in the ceremony, "One Battle After Another" was crowned best film, and Paul Thomas Anderson received the best director award for his work on the movie. The event also featured the awards show debut of HUNTR/X, who performed their KPop Demon Hunters megahit "Golden." It's worth noting that, unlike the Academy Awards and several other awards shows, the BAFTAs do not include a best original song category. HUNTR/X is scheduled to perform at the BRIT Awards on Saturday, February 28, becoming the first K-pop group to grace the BRITs stage. They are also slated to perform "Golden" at the Academy Awards on March 15, where the song is nominated for best original song.

The In Memoriam segment featured English singer Jessie Ware performing Barbra Streisand’s classic "The Way We Were," from the 1973 film of the same name. This poignant tribute honored many significant figures, including Streisand's co-star, the late Robert Redford, alongside Catherine O’Hara, Rob Reiner, Brigitte Bardot, Val Kilmer, and Gene Hackman.