BAFTA Longlists Signal Slight Progress in Addressing Diversity Crisis, but Much Work Remains
For now, the BAFTA film awards appear to have sidestepped further criticism over its long-standing diversity crisis after revealing its longlists on Friday. The announcements come following a tumultuous 2023 that saw no people of color receive awards, prompting outrage and renewed calls for reform.
While some progress has been made in certain areas, the acting longlist reveals seven individuals from minority backgrounds out of 40 nominees, sparking concerns that significant work remains to be done. In contrast, the directing longlist boasts four people of color among its 50-strong nominees, including Chloé Zhao, Katherine Bigelow, Lynne Ramsay, Hikari, and Kaouther Ben Hania.
Notably, BAFTA does not appear to have set targets for diversity in its nominees, a move that has been criticized by some as lacking concrete measures. The film "Sinners," directed by Ryan Coogler, has performed strongly overall with 14 longlist entries, including four individuals of color, though it is unclear what this means for the overall diversity of the nominees.
Despite these efforts, the awards season still appears to be hampered by a lack of representation on the acting longlist. Cynthia Erivo, who was excluded from the Actors Awards nominees, has secured a spot in the best actress category alongside Chase Infiniti and Tessa Thompson, while Michael B Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo are also included among the nominees.
In 2025, BAFTA announced that it had achieved its five-year target of increasing minority representation within its membership, with 20% identifying as from minority ethnic groups. However, the organization still has a long way to go in achieving its goal of 50% female membership, with only 43% of members self-identifying as women.
The final nominations are set to be announced on January 27, with the winners revealed at a ceremony hosted by Alan Cumming on February 22. While these longlists offer some glimmers of hope, it remains to be seen whether BAFTA's efforts will translate into meaningful change in its nominees or ultimately, its awards winners.
For now, the BAFTA film awards appear to have sidestepped further criticism over its long-standing diversity crisis after revealing its longlists on Friday. The announcements come following a tumultuous 2023 that saw no people of color receive awards, prompting outrage and renewed calls for reform.
While some progress has been made in certain areas, the acting longlist reveals seven individuals from minority backgrounds out of 40 nominees, sparking concerns that significant work remains to be done. In contrast, the directing longlist boasts four people of color among its 50-strong nominees, including Chloé Zhao, Katherine Bigelow, Lynne Ramsay, Hikari, and Kaouther Ben Hania.
Notably, BAFTA does not appear to have set targets for diversity in its nominees, a move that has been criticized by some as lacking concrete measures. The film "Sinners," directed by Ryan Coogler, has performed strongly overall with 14 longlist entries, including four individuals of color, though it is unclear what this means for the overall diversity of the nominees.
Despite these efforts, the awards season still appears to be hampered by a lack of representation on the acting longlist. Cynthia Erivo, who was excluded from the Actors Awards nominees, has secured a spot in the best actress category alongside Chase Infiniti and Tessa Thompson, while Michael B Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo are also included among the nominees.
In 2025, BAFTA announced that it had achieved its five-year target of increasing minority representation within its membership, with 20% identifying as from minority ethnic groups. However, the organization still has a long way to go in achieving its goal of 50% female membership, with only 43% of members self-identifying as women.
The final nominations are set to be announced on January 27, with the winners revealed at a ceremony hosted by Alan Cumming on February 22. While these longlists offer some glimmers of hope, it remains to be seen whether BAFTA's efforts will translate into meaningful change in its nominees or ultimately, its awards winners.
. But let's be real, we can't just celebrate incremental progress without pushing for systemic change. BAFTA needs to set concrete targets and hold itself accountable if they want to make a meaningful impact.
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BAFTA's diversity initiatives are just a marketing ploy to save face. I mean, 20% minority representation in their membership is barely a start 
. And what's with the lack of concrete targets for diversity? That's just a bunch of empty words 
. We need real change, not just token gestures 
. The acting longlist is still woefully lacking in diversity 
. It's all well and good that some people of color made it in, but where are the women? Where are the trans folks? It's like they're playing a game of "check the box" 
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4 out of 50 is a solid start, but we need more! 
7 minority individuals out of 40 nomes is just 17.5%... not bad, but not good enough either 
We need concrete targets and measurable progress to actually make a difference 
BAFTA's five-year target for member diversity is cool tho 
20% minority rep in the membership is a step in the right direction, but we're still at 43% female members... that needs more work too 
still only 7 minorities on the acting list tho? that's not enough fam 
but hey at least chloe zhao is makin waves on the directing list 
gotta keep pushin for more diversity & inclusion in these awards, can't let progress slow down 
. I mean, BAFTA's making progress, but it's like they're playing a game of "spot the minority" 
. 4 people of color in directing is cool and all, but let's get real, we need more diversity on those acting longlists, fam! Cynthia Erivo's inclusion is like a breath of fresh air, but what about the rest? Where are the other talented POC actors? 