Sarah Gavron’s drama Rocks has emerged as the most successful film at the British Independent Film Awards, taking away five BIFAs, including the top prize of the Best British Independent Film and two honours for Kosar Ali, who was named the Best Supporting Actress and Most Promising Newcomer. The BFI, which backed the film, described her as “one to watch.”
Gavron herself was pipped to the Best Director prize by Remi Weekes, for His House, whose star Wunmi Mosaku was named Best Actress. The film also picked up two technical awards – for effects and production design.
With awards spreading from newcomers to veterans, Sir Anthony Hopkins won the Best Actor prize for his role in The Father, which also won awards for Best Screenplay and Best Editing.
Saint Maud picked up two prizes – Rose Glass was named the Best Debut Director and it was also honoured for its cinematography.
It was a good night for the actor Riz Ahmed, who won the Best Debut Screenplay award for Mogul Mowgli and the Best Short Film for The Long Goodbye.
The Reason I Jump was named the Best Documentary, as well as picking up the prize for Best Sound.
The Raindance organisation, which organises the award, gave its Best International Feature prize to Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland.
And here is the full list of this year’s BIFA winners:
Best British Independent Film
“Rocks” – Sarah Gavron, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson, Faye Ward, Ameenah Ayub Allen
Best Director
Remi Weekes – “His House”
Best Screenplay
Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton – “The Father”
Best Actress
Wunmi Mosaku – “His House”
Best Actor
Anthony Hopkins – “The Father”
Best Supporting Actress
Kosar Ali – “Rocks”
Best Supporting Actor
D’Angelou Osei Kissiedu – “Rocks”
The Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director)
Rose Glass – “Saint Maud”
Breakthrough Producer
Irune Gurtubai – “Limbo” (also produced by Angus Lamont)
Debut Screenwriter
Riz Ahmed – “Mogul Mowgli” (co-written by Bassam Tariq)
Most Promising Newcomer
Kosar Ali – “Rocks”
Best Documentary
“The Reason I Jump” – Jerry Rothwell, Jeremy Dear, Stevie Lee, Al Morrow
The Raindance Discovery Award
“Perfect 10” – Eva Riley, Jacob Thomas, Bertrand Faivre, Valentina Brazzini
Best British Short Film
“The Long Goodbye” – Aneil Karia, Riz Ahmed, Tom Gardner
Best International Independent Film
“Nomadland” – Chloé Zhao, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey
Best Casting
Lucy Pardee – “Rocks”
Best Cinematography
Ben Fordesman – “Saint Maud”
Best Costume Design
Charlotte Walter – “Misbehaviour”
Best Editing
Yorgos Lamprinos – “The Father”
Best Effects
Pedro Sabrosa, Stefano Pepin – “His House”
Best Make Up & Hair Design
Jill Sweeney – “Misbehaviour”
Best Music
Paul Corley – “Mogul Mowgli”
Best Production Design
Jacqueline Abrahams – “His House”
Best Sound
Nick Ryan, Ben Baird, Sara De Oliveira Lima – “The Reason I Jump”