The nominations are in for the 2014 British Independent Film Awards

’71 and Pride lead the race in the run up to the British Independent Film Awards, in a boom year for UK independents.

3 November 2014

By Sam Wigley

’71 (2014)

The Northern Ireland-set thriller ’71 has picked up nine nominations for this year’s Moët British Independent Film Awards (MBIFAs), with Pride taking seven and Catch Me Daddy, Frank and Mr. Turner all on five.

Yann Demange’s drama about a soldier’s nightmarish night on the streets of Belfast in the early 70s took nominations for best British independent film, as well both best director and best debut director. It’s also in the running for best actor for Jack O’Connell, best supporting actor for Sean Harris and best screenplay for Gregory Burke.

Its competitors for best British independent film are Calvary, Mr. Turner, Pride and The Imitation Game. The second most nominated film, Pride was also recognised in the categories for best director (Matthew Warchus), best screenplay (Stephen Beresford), best supporting actress (Imelda Staunton) and twice for best supporting actor (Andrew Scott and Ben Schnetzer). Schnetzer also competes for most promising newcomer.

Started by Raindance in 1998, the awards are now in their 17th edition, with this year’s pre-selection committee choosing the nominees from over 250 submitted films.

“This has been a record year for MBIFA,” comment the awards’ joint directors Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, “giving our dedicated members their toughest challenge to date.”

They continue: “The shortlist demonstrates how the standard of creativity in British independent filmmaking continues to flourish year on year.”

The winners will be decided by an independent jury of industry professionals, this year to be headed up by director Tom Hooper, whose The King’s Speech was a 2010 MBIFA winner.

Hooper says: “I am honoured to preside over the Moët BIFA jury this year. It has been an extremely strong year for filmmaking here in Britain and I am looking forward to helping the very best of this year’s independent films get the recognition they deserve.”

Ben Roberts, Director of the BFI Film Fund says: “British independent films and talent have taken the world by storm this year, winning international awards and pulling in audiences at home and abroad. We’re very proud of the BIFA nominees supported by the BFI, including Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner, which has filled UK cinemas this weekend, to Pride, ’71, Calvary, Frank, Testament of Youth, Belle, Catch Me Daddy, X+Y, The Goob, 20,000 Days on Earth, Night Will Fall and the short films Crocodile and Keeping Up with the Joneses.”

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Old Billingsgate, London on Sunday 7 December.

Best British independent film

’71
Calvary
Mr. Turner
Pride
The Imitation Game

Best director

John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
Lenny Abrahamson – Frank
Matthew Warchus – Pride
Mike Leigh – Mr. Turner
Yann Demange  – ’71

The Douglas Hickox Award [Best debut director]

Daniel Wolfe, Matthew Wolfe – Catch Me Daddy
Hong Khaou – Lilting
Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard – 20,000 Days on Earth
Morgan Matthews – X+Y
Yann Demange –  ’71

Best screenplay

Graham Moore – The Imitation Game
Gregory Burke  – ’71
John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan – Frank
Stephen Beresford – Pride

Best actress

Alicia Vikander – Testament of Youth
Cheng Pei Pei – Lilting
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle
Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

Best actor

Asa Butterfield – X+Y
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Brendan Gleeson – Calvary
Jack O’Connell – ’71
Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner

Best supporting actress

Dorothy Atkinson – Mr. Turner
Imelda Staunton – Pride
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Frank
Sally Hawkins – X+Y
Sienna Guillory – The Goob

Best supporting actor

Andrew Scott – Pride
Ben Schnetzer – Pride
Michael Fassbender – Frank
Rafe Spall – X+Y
Sean Harris – ’71

Most promising newcomer

Ben Schnetzer – Pride
Cara Delevingne – The Face of an Angel
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle
Liam Walpole – The Goob
Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

Best achievement in production 

’71
20,000 Days on Earth
Catch Me Daddy
Lilting
The Goob

Best technical achievement

Chris Wyatt – editing – ’71
Dick Pope – cinematography – Mr. Turner
Robbie Ryan – cinematography – Catch Me Daddy
Stephen Rennicks – music – Frank
Tat Radcliffe – cinematography – ’71

Best documentary

20,000 Days on Earth
Next Goal Wins
Night Will Fall
The Possibilities Are Endless
Virunga

Best British short

Crocodile
Emotional Fusebox
Keeping Up with the Joneses
Slap
The Kármán Line

Best international independent film

Blue Ruin
Boyhood
Fruitvale Station
Ida
The Babadook

The Raindance Award

Flim: The Movie…
Gregor
Luna
Keeping Rosy
The Beat beneath My Feet

The Richard Harris Award (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film)

To be announced

The Variety Award

To be announced

The Special Jury Prize

To be announced

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