The nominations for the 17th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced today, at St Martins Lane, London by actor Jared Harris. Irish co-produced film Frank picked up 5 nominations, with co-production Calvary picking up 4, while the Northern Irish based drama ’71 leads the pack with nominations.
Elsewhere the critically acclaimed Pride picked up 7 nominations, and Catch Me Daddy and Mr Turner picked up five nominations each.
Frank and Calvary go head-to-head in two categories; Best Director, where Lenny Abrahamson and John Michael McDonagh will duke it out with Matthew Warchus for Pride, Mike Leigh for Mr Turner, and Yann Demange for ’71; and Best Screenplay where McDonagh faces Frank‘s Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan. Frank also picked up nominations for Maggie Gyllenhaal as Best Supporting Actress, Michael Fassbender as Best Supporting actor, and Stephen Rennicks nominated for Best Technical Achievement for the wonderful music in the film. Calvary‘s other two nominations are for Bset Actor for Brendan Gleeson’s superb performance, and Best British Independent Film.
Irishman Andrew Scott is also nominated for his supporting role in Pride, with Robbie Ryan up for Best Techinical Achievement for his cinematography on Catch Me Daddy.
Speaking today about the nominations, Frank director Lenny Abrahamson commented “I’m delighted for everyone involved in Frank that it is getting such an endorsement from the BIFA and honoured to be nominated for Best Director”.
The Pre-Selection Committee of over 70 members viewed a record breaking 250 plus films this year, out of which they selected the nominations, which were decided by ballot.
The winners of The Moët British Independent Film Awards are decided by an independent jury comprised of leading professionals and talent from the British film industry.
It was also announced that the Oscar and BAFTA – winning Director Tom Hooper, whose film The King’s Speech picked up five awards, including Best British Independent Film at the 2010 Moët British Independent Film Awards, will chair the Jury who will decide the winners of the 2014 awards.
Hooper commented: “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.”
The winners will be announced at the much anticipated 17th awards ceremony on Sunday 7 December at the impressive Old Billingsgate in London.
Full list of nominees:
BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
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’71
Calvary
Mr Turner
Pride
The Imitation Game
BEST DIRECTOR
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John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
Lenny Abrahamson – Frank
Matthew Warchus – Pride
Mike Leigh – Mr Turner
Yann Demange – ’71
THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]
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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
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Graham Moore – The Imitation Game
Gregory Burke – ’71
John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan – Frank
Stephen Beresford – Pride
BEST ACTRESS
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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
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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
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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 DOCUMENTAR Y
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 Badadook
THE RAINDANCE AWARD
Flim: The Movie…
Gregor
Luna
Keeping Rosy
The Beat Beneath My Feet