Films So Good

The 79th British Academy Film Awards ceremony ended with Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerging as the night’s biggest winner, taking home the awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Last night, the BAFTAs also made beautiful stories by awarding Robert Aramayo two prizes. In the film I Swear, based on a true story, Aramayo portrays John Davidson, a young man diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome in the 1990s, at a time when the condition was still poorly understood. The film’s cast also includes Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake, and Shirley Henderson.

While his EE Rising Star Award was hardly a surprise after such a remarkable performance, the second win felt like pure magic. In the Best Actor category—where Timothée Chalamet appeared unbeatable, alongside nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, and Jesse Plemons—Aramayo’s powerful performance ultimately secured him the award.

British subejectivity? Surprise? It’s very hard for a British Indepedent film to be nominated from the Big Awards. Surprise? Betting odds also all week showed that Robert Aramayo was second favorite, above Leonardo DiCaprrio and even from the trailer you can understand the greatness of the performance. so this win seems fair and let’s support films like these.

British subjectivity? A surprise? Not quite. While it is often difficult for a British independent film to break the Oscars or the Golden Globes, I Swear was far from an unknown title in the UK, having already been awarded at the British Independent Film Awards. In addition, throughout the week, betting odds consistently placed Robert Aramayo as the second favorite—ranking above Leonardo DiCaprio. Even from the trailer alone, the strength and emotional depth of his performance were evident. This win, therefore, feels not only deserved but entirely fair — and a reminder of why films like these merit our full support.

Photo from last night’s BAFTA ceremony, broadcast on the BBC.

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