The nominations for the 16th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards — the BIFAs for short and basically the UK’s answer to the Spirit Awards — were announced this morning in London.
David Mackenzie’s prison drama “Starred Up” — just picked up for US release by Tribeca Film (who also distributed the top nominee at the European Film Awards this past weekend) — led the list, taking 8 nominations including Best British Independent Film, Best Director for , Best Screenplay for Jonathan Asser, Best Actor for Jack O’Connell, and two Best Supporting Actor nominations for Rupert Friend and Ben Mendelsohn. Just behind was Clio Barnard’s acclaimed drama “The Selfish Giant,” which picked up 7 nominations. “Filth,” “Metro Manila” and “Le Week-end” all picked up 5 nominations each.
British filmmaker Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” wasn’t eligible in most categories due to it being a primarily US production, though it didn’t manage a nod where it was indeed eligible: Best International Independent Film. That category was filled out by “Blue is the Warmest Colour,” “Blue Jasmine,” “Frances Ha,” “The Great Beauty” and “Wadjda.”
In year’s past, there’s been notable crossover between the BIFAs and the Oscars, with “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The King’s Speech” the most obvious example when they swept both awards show. This year, the only BIFA favorite with any real shot at Oscar is Stephen Frears’ “Philomena,” which took four nominations including Best British Independent Film and Best Actress for likely Oscar nominee Judi Dench.
Full list of nominations below. The winners will be announced on Sunday December 8th at the impressive
Old Billingsgate in London.
BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
Metro Manila
Philomena
The Selfish Giant
Starred Up
Le Week-end
BEST DIRECTOR
Jon S Baird – Filth
Clio Barnard – The Selfish Giant
Sean Ellis – Metro Manila
Jonathan Glazer – Under the Skin
David Mackenzie – Starred Up
THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]
Charlie Cattrall – Titus
Tina Gharavi – I Am Nasrine
Jeremy Lovering – In Fear
Omid Nooshin – Last Passenger
Paul Wright – For Those in Peril
BEST SCREENPLAY
Jonathan Asser – Starred Up
Clio Barnard – The Selfish Giant
Steven Knight – Locke
Hanif Kureishi – Le Week-end
Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan – Philomena
BEST ACTRESS
Judi Dench – Philomena
Lindsay Duncan – Le Week-end
Scarlett Johansson – Under the Skin
Felicity Jones – The Invisible Woman
Saoirse Ronan – How I Live Now
BEST ACTOR
Jim Broadbent – Le Week-end
Steve Coogan – Philomena
Tom Hardy – Locke
Jack O’Connell – Starred Up
James McAvoy – Filth
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Siobhan Finneran – The Selfish Giant
Shirley Henderson – Filth
Imogen Poots – The Look Of Love
Kristin Scott Thomas – The Invisible Woman
Mia Wasikowska – The Double
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
John Arcilla – Metro Manila
Rupert Friend – Starred Up
Jeff Goldblum – Le Week-end
Eddie Marsan – Filth
Ben Mendelsohn – Starred Up
MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Harley Bird – How I Live Now
Conner Chapman / Shaun Thomas – The Selfish Giant
Caity Lotz – The Machine
Jake Macapagal – Metro Manila
Chloe Pirrie – Shell
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Sponsored by Company3
A Field in England
Filth
Metro Manila
The Selfish Giant
Starred Up
BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Shaheen Baig – Casting – Starred Up
Johnnie Burn – Sound Design – Under the Skin
Amy Hubbard – Casting – The Selfish Giant
Mica Levi – Music – Under the Skin
Justine Wright – Editing – Locke
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer
The Great Hip Hop Hoax
The Moo Man
The Spirit of ’45
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone
BEST BRITISH SHORT
L’Assenza
Dr Easy
Dylan’s Room
Jonah
Z1
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
Blue is the Warmest Colour
Blue Jasmine
Frances Ha
The Great Beauty
Wadjda
THE RAINDANCE AWARD
Everyone’s Going to Die
The Machine
The Patrol
Sleeping Dogs
Titus
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