The 8th Annual Pre-BAFTA Filmmakers Dinner

There are few institutions more closely aligned with British cultural life than BAFTA. For a House founded on invention and a certain English self-assurance, the partnership feels instinctive. At Bourdon House, our iconic Mayfair home, dunhill and BAFTA came together once again to host The Filmmakers Dinner: an intimate evening honouring the creative minds shaping British cinema today, and those who will define its future. At a moment when the arts require sustained advocacy as much as applause, championing homegrown film talent feels both appropriate and essential.

Now in its second year, the collaboration extends well beyond the party itself. Central to the partnership is BAFTA Elevate, a programme supporting mid-career documentary and specialist factual filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds through mentorship, masterclasses, networking and sustained industry exposure. Elevate is less about spotlight than infrastructure: creating pathways and ensuring British screen storytelling continues to reflect the breadth and sophistication of contemporary culture. For dunhill, whose history has always intersected with creative innovation, this commitment to nurturing emerging voices is both natural and quietly purposeful.


The evening unfolded with discreet ease. Within Alfred’s, conversation slipped between generations and disciplines: Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville and Emmy Award-winning Brian Cox alongside actors Jason Isaacs, Henry Golding, David Harewood and Marisa Abela; Rising Star nominees Archie Madekwe and Robert Aramayo in dialogue with BAFTA nominees Akinola Davies Jr, Harry Lighton and Cal McMau. Directors and producers including Joe Wright and Anna Higgs contributed to an atmosphere defined by a shared belief in the enduring cultural power of British film.


Evening dress, naturally, played its role. Guests wore dunhill tailoring designed by Creative Director Simon Holloway, reflecting the Autumn Winter 2026 language: a subtle tension between aristocratic composure and unguarded creativity. Midnight blues carried a quiet cinematic intrigue, recalling a 1960s London where elegance met mischief and formality was worn with instinct rather than rigidity. Black tie softened through texture and tonal discipline. Eveningwear as an expression of respect for creative craft.


The Filmmakers Dinner stands as a testament to an enduring dialogue between fashion and film, two disciplines shaped by narrative and personality. Together, dunhill and BAFTA continue to champion British cinema not only on the red carpet, but behind the camera, where its future is being written.