Tom Hooper’s “The King’s Speech” dominated the 13th annual Moet British Independent Film Awards, handed out tonight at the Old Billingsgate in London. The film – favored to do very well at the Academy Awards – garnered five awards, including best film, best screenplay, and acting wins for Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush.
“Speech”‘s only major loss came when Gareth Edwards beat Tom Hooper in the best director category “Monsters,” which also picked up awards for best achievement in production and best technical achievement. Other winners included “Enemies of the People” for best documentary, “A Prophet” for best foreign film, “The Arbor” director Clio Barnard for best debut director (oddly over best director winner Edwards), and “Never Let Me Go”‘s Carey Mulligan for best actress (an award Mulligan also won last year for “An Education”).
Though “Speech”‘s dominance is generally unsurprising, supporting actress winner Helena Bonham Carter beating Lesley Manville’s lauded work in Mike Leigh’s “Another Year” is sure to cause groans in the blogosphere. It comes after the BIFAs gave Vera Farmiga the best actress award for “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” in 2008 over another Mike Leigh actress, Sally Hawkins for “Happy-Go-Lucky.” Leigh’s “Year” was completely shut out at the awards, as was Chris Morris’s “Four Lions,” Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass,” and Nigel Cole’s “Made in Dagenham” (for which Sally Hawkins was also nominated, and lost).
The complete list of winners is below.
BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM The King’s Speech
BEST DIRECTOR Gareth Edwards – Monsters
THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR] Clio Barnard – The Arbor
BEST SCREENPLAY David Seidler – The King’s Speech
BEST ACTRESS Carey Mulligan – Never Let Me Go
BEST ACTOR Colin Firth – The King’s Speech
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Helena Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech
MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER Joanne Froggatt – In Our Name
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION Monsters
RAINDANCE AWARD Son of Babylon
BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT Monsters – Visual Effects – Gareth Edwards
BEST DOCUMENTARY Enemies of the People
BEST BRITISH SHORT Baby
BEST FOREIGN FILM A Prophet
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