It's Just Movies

The 12th annual British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) will take place Dec. 6 in London and will be hosted by James Nesbitt.

BIFA Directors Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson said: “We have had a record number of films submitted this year, with the pre-selection committee viewing over 200 films. A highlight from the nominations is the very strong debut director category.”

The nominations this year reflect the up and coming and internationally renowned on and off screen talent.

Daniel Day-Lewis (pictured) will be honored with the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film by an Actor.

The film receiving the most nods is “Fish Tank,” with eight nominations. “Moon” follows with seven nominations. “An Education,” “In The Loop” and “Nowhere Boy” each received six nominations and “Bright Star” got four. Other films with multiple nominations are: “Katalin Varga,” with three; and “Bronson” and “Bunny & The Bull” receiving two nominations each.

First-time BIFA actor nominees include Abbie Cornish, Carey Mulligan, Katie Jarvis, Aaron Johnson, Andy Serkis, Peter Capaldi, Sam Rockwell, Tom Hardy, Anne-Marie Duff, Kerry Fox, Alfred Molina, John Henshaw, Christian McKay and Hilda Péter.

This year sees repeat nominations for actress Katie Jarvis, who is nominated in this year’s Best Actress and Most Promising Newcomer categories. Duncan Jones and Armando Iannucci both receive nominations in the Best Director and Douglas Hickox Award categories for “Moon” and “In The Loop,” respectively. Andrea Arnold holds two nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay for “Fish Tank.”

The BIFA Pre-Selection Committee of 70 members viewed more than 200 films, out of which they selected the nominations, decided by ballot.

BIFA’s new jury is comprised of professionals and talent from across the British film industry including: Actress Jodie Whittaker, Actors Idris Elba, Liam Cunningham, Eddie Marsan and Peter Mullan, Directors Sarah Gavron and Eran Creevy, Producers Dixie Linder, Anita Overland and Adrian Sturges, Documentary Filmmaker Kate Blewett, Film Marketing Consultant Robert Mitchell, Projectionist Paul Speed and Head of Distribution and Exhibition at The UK Film Council Peter Buckingham.

Here are the nominees for this year’s awards:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
An Education
Fish Tank
In The Loop
Moon
Nowhere Boy

BEST DIRECTOR (Sponsored by The Creative Partnership)
Andrea Arnold – Fish Tank
Armando Iannucci – In The Loop
Duncan Jones – Moon
Jane Campion – Bright Star
Lone Scherfig – An Education

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]
Armando Iannucci – In The Loop
Duncan Jones – Moon
Peter Strickland – Katalin Varga
Sam Taylor Wood – Nowhere Boy
Samantha Morton – The Unloved

BEST SCREENPLAY (Sponsored by BBC Films)
An Education – Nick Hornby
Fish Tank – Andrea Arnold
In The Loop – Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Moon – Nathan Parker
Nowhere Boy – Matt Greenhalgh

BEST ACTRESS (Sponsored by M.A.C)
Abbie Cornish – Bright Star
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
Katie Jarvis – Fish Tank
Sophie Okonedo – Skin

BEST ACTOR (Sponsored by Stolichnaya Elit)
Aaron Johnson – Nowhere Boy
Andy Serkis – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Peter Capaldi – In The Loop
Sam Rockwell – Moon
Tom Hardy – Bronson

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anne-Marie Duff – Nowhere Boy
Kerry Fox – Bright Star
Kierston Wareing – Fish Tank
Kristin Scott Thomas – Nowhere Boy
Rosamund Pike – An Education

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Sponsored by Stolichnaya)
Alfred Molina – An Education
Jim Broadbent – The Damned United
John Henshaw – Looking for Eric
Michael Fassbender – Fish Tank
Tom Hollander – In The Loop

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Christian McKay – Me & Orson Welles
Edward Hogg – White Lightnin’
George MacKay – The Boys Are Back
Hilda Péter – Katalin Varga
Katie Jarvis – Fish Tank

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Bronson
Bunny & The Bull
The Hide
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Katalin Varga

RAINDANCE AWARD (Sponsored by Raindance)
Colin
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Down Terrace
Exam
They Call It Acid

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT (Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios)
Bright Star – Cinematography – Greig Fraser
Bunny & The Bull – Production Design – Gary Williamson
Fish Tank – Cinematography – Robbie Ryan
Moon – Original Score – Clint Mansell
Moon – Production Design – Tony Noble

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Sponsored by Chapter Media)
The Age of Stupid
The End of The Line
Mugabe and The White African
Sons of Cuba
Sounds Like Teen Spirit

BEST BRITISH SHORT
Christmas with Dad
Leaving
Love You More
Sidney Turtlebaum
Washdays

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Il Divo
The Hurt Locker
Let The Right One In
Sin Nombre
The Wrestler

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution to British Film)
Daniel Day-Lewis

THE VARIETY AWARD
To Be Announced

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Sponsored by The UK Film Council
Announced at the British Independent Film Awards on Dec. 6

Proud supporters and patrons of BIFA include Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Helen Mirren, Samantha Morton, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Trudie Styler, Tilda Swinton, Meera Syal, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Michael Winterbottom.

BIFA would like to thank its Sponsors: The UK Film Council, 3 Mills Studios, BBC Films, Chapter Media, The Creative Partnership, M.A.C, Raindance, Soho House, Stolichnaya and Variety.