BAFTA is postponing the 2021 Britannia Awards until next year, making it the second year in a row that the awards ceremony has been put off.
Last year’s cancellation was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and while the British Film Academy did not clarify the reason behind this year’s postponement, the Los Angeles event is typically held in late October at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
“BAFTA’s Britannia Awards will be a key part of our plans for 2022. For the rest of this year, we are continuing to focus on our year-round learning and talent programs, which include scholarships, the GSA BAFTA Student Awards and Breakthrough USA, the new cohort for which will be announced soon,” a representative for BAFTA said in a statement.
The Britannia Awards also generally take place alongside the American Film Market, which this year is being delayed slightly until early November and is being held virtually again.
The Britannia Awards were designed to bridge the gap between Hollywood and the British film industry by recognizing excellence in British entertainers. The awards were established in 1989 and have since added such prestigious prizes as the John Schlesinger Britannia award for excellence in directing, which was awarded to Jordan Peele in 2019.
The 2019 Britannia Awards ceremony was also notable for Jane Fonda accepting her prize via video for the Stanley Kubrick Award for excellence in film while she was being arrested in Washington D.C. during a climate change protest.
THR first reported the news.