Addressing the BAFTA in the Room

Hiba Ul-hasan, BA History

e British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) was held on 19 February, and the list of winners was shocking. Although 40% of those shortlisted were of ethnic origin, all 49 winners were white. is is both disheartening and concerning. e lack of diversity among the winners does not truly represent the nature of the lm industry, suggesting that there may be bigger issues within, particularly when non- and foremost, there is a longlisting stage in which industry experts with BAFTA memberships submit their picks for the year’s top lms, performances, and other achievements. en during the Nomination round, a minimum of 100 BAFTA members who are industry professionals vote on each category, and the longlist is then reduced down to a shortlist, with members selecting their top picks. Finally, the winners are determined by a nal round of voting and announced at the annual award ceremony. e involvement of BAFTA members is constant throughout the stages. ere is a suitable eligibility criteria which includes at least ve years of experience in a senior or executive role. white voices and viewpoints are marginalised and ignored. To gain a better understanding of the BAFTAs and the various reasons why the results were so shocking, it is necessary to understand how the winners are chosen. e voting process is divided into three stages, according to the BAFTAs’ o cial website: longlisting, nomination, and winners. First

Although this may have been designed to ensure the quality of members by selecting experienced professionals, it also limits the diversity of members because of internal prejudice within the industry. is will hinder people of di erent origins from obtaining top positions, and if they do, this may be attributed to their social or economic standing.

It is critical to remember that diversity is about more than just representation; it is also about inclusion. A lack of diversity in award ceremonies such as the BAFTAs can reinforce structural inequalities, keeping talented individuals from diverse backgrounds from receiving the awards they deserve.

Another feature of the membership is a yearly subscription fee. Aside from the initial £150 fee for new members, there is a yearly regional membership fee ranging from £360 to £540. ere are circumstances where a fee reduction or aid can be o ered, but this implies that there is an economic aspect involved in determining winners. For example, some individuals’ votes may be in uenced by their own business interests in certain projects.