Aleem Khan’s directorial debut, After Love, became all the more auspicious last night (12/5) at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), topping the competition with six wins – Best British Independent Film, Khan taking individual honors for Best Director, the Douglas Award Hickox for Best First Director and Best Screenplay, with Best Actress and Supporting Actor accolades won by Joanna Scanlan and Talid Ariss respectively.
Vinette Robinson won the award for Best Supporting Actress for Boiling point, who also had three previously announced victories in the Craft categories; Best Cinematography for Matthew Lewis, Best Casting for Carolyn McLeod and Best Sound for James Drake, Rob Entwistle and Kiff McManus.
The animated To flee was named best international independent film while the award for best documentary went to Poly styrene: I’m a cliché, which also won the Raindance Discovery Award.
Here is a full rundown of the winners of the evening:
BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
AFTER LOVE
ALEEM KHAN / MATTHIEU DE BRACONIER
BEST SCREENPLAY
AFTER LOVE
ALEEM KHAN
BEST DIRECTOR
AFTER LOVE
ALEEM KHAN
BEST ACTOR
ALI & AVA
ADEEL AKHTAR
BEST ACTRESS
AFTER LOVE
JOANNA SCANLAN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
AFTER LOVE
TALID ARISS
BEST ACTRESS IN A SECOND ROLE
BOILING POINT
VINETTE ROBINSON
BREAKING PERFORMANCE
DEAR
NELL BARLOW
THE DOUGLAS HICKOX PRIZE (DEBUT DIRECTOR)
AFTER LOVE
ALEEM KHAN
FIRST SCREENPLAY
FIRES
CATHY BRADY
BREAKDOWN PRODUCER
DEAR
MICHELLE ANTONIADES
BEST DOCUMENTARY
POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICK
PAUL SNG / CELESTE BELL / ZOE HOWE / REBECCA MARK-LAWSON / MATTHEW SILVERMAN / DARIA NITSCHE
THE RAINDANCE DISCOVERY PRIZE
POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICK
PAUL SNG / CELESTE BELL / ZOE HOWE / REBECCA MARK-LAWSON / MATTHEW SILVERMAN / DARIA NITSCHE
BEST BRITISH COURT
WOMEN
SAM H FREEMAN / NG CHOON PING / SAM RITZENBERG / HAYLEY WILLIAMS / RIENKJE ATTOH
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM
TO FLEE
JONAS POHER RASMUSSEN / AMIN NAWABI / MONICA HELLSTRÃM / SIGN BYRGE SÃRENSEN
SPECIAL PRICES
THE RICHARD HARRIS PRIZE
To honor an actor or actress who has made a significant contribution to British films throughout their career.
AHMED RICE
SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE BIFA JURY
In recognition of the work done in the UK Screen Industries
BREEDING FILMS
CRAFT WINNERS (previously announced)
BEST CASTING
BOILING POINT
CAROLYN MCLEOD
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BOILING POINT
MATTHIEU LEWIS
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
MEMORY PART II
GRACE SNELL
BEST EDITION
MEMORY PART II
HELLE LE FÃVRE
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRDRESSING
LOUIS WAIN’S ELECTRIC LIFE
VICKIE LANG / KRISTYAN MALLETT / DONALD MCINNES
BEST MUSIC
ALI & AVA
CONNIE FARR / HARRY ESCOTT
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
MEMORY PART II
STEPHANE COLLONGE
BEST SOUND
BOILING POINT
JAMES DRAKE / ROB ENTWISTLE / KIFF MCMANUS
BEST EFFECTS
DASH CAM
MIKE KNIGHTS / STEVEN BRAY / DAN MARTIN / LEIGH CRANSTON