2nd British Academy Film Awards


The 2nd British Film Awards, known retroactively as the British Academy Film Awards, were given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on 29 May 1949, and honoured the best films of 1948. Three new awards were handed out for Best Documentary, Special awards for film and the United Nations Award for the "best Film embodying one or more of the principles of the United Nations Charter". British films The Fallen Idol and Hamlet received the awards for Best British Film and Best Film from any Source, respectively.

Winners and nominees

British films The Fallen Idol and Hamlet received the awards for Best British Film and Best Film from any Source, respectively, and were additionally nominated in both categories; Louisiana Story received the award for Best Documentary; Atomic Physics received the Special Award for Film; and the United Nations Award was handed out to Atomic Physics, Hungry Minds and screenplay The Winslow Boy.
Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface; the nominees are listed below alphabetically and not in boldface.
Best British PictureBest Film from any Source

  • Hamlet
  • * Crossfire
  • * The Fallen Idol
  • * Four Steps in the Clouds
  • * Monsieur Vincent
  • * The Naked City
  • * Paisan
    • Best Documentary PictureSpecial Award for Film
  • Louisiana Story
  • * Farrebique
  • * Is Everybody Listening?
  • * Shadow of the Ruhr
  • * Those Blasted Kids
  • * Three Dawns to Sydney
  • Atomic Physics
  • * Bear that Got a Peacock's Tail
  • * The Cat Concerto
  • * Divided World
  • * Gandhi's Funeral
  • * Norman McLaren Abstract Reel
  • * Rubens
  • * Your Children's Sleep

    • United Nations Award

    Awarded for the best Film embodying one or more of the principles of the United Nations Charter.