The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) has unveiled the nominees for its upcoming ceremony, set to take place at London's Roundhouse on December 8th. A total of 29 British feature films have been recognized in this year's list.
Leading the nominations is the Irish-language rap biopic Kneecap, which secured nods for Best British Independent Film, Director, and Screenplay, among others. All three of its lead actors—Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh—have also been nominated. Rich Peppiatt's comedy, which delves into the semi-true backstory of the Belfast hip-hop trio, was one of the year's unexpected hits. Kneecap's blend of Gaelic Irish and English-language music serves as the backdrop for a broader narrative on Northern Irish-British relations, described as 'an absolute blast, high-energy, and frequently hilarious'.
Following closely with 12 nominations is the lesbian bodybuilding romance noir Love Lies Bleeding, directed by Rose Glass. Glass previously set a BIFA record with 17 nominations for her debut film Saint Maud in 2020, winning in two categories. Love Lies Bleeding is also up for major awards, including nominations for its central performers, Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brien. The unconventional genre-shifting crime-romance film was hailed as 'electrifying' when it premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year.
Amy Liptrot's best-selling memoir 'The Outrun' has been adapted for British audiences twice this year. While the theatrical adaptation stood out at the Edinburgh International Festival, the film version, featuring Saoirse Ronan, has also captivated audiences, earning it nine BIFA nominations. The Outrun, which claims to be the first major film shot on the Orkney Islands, has garnered nominations for Best British Independent Film, Director, Screenplay, and Ronan's performance.
Further down the list, Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age fable Bird has received multiple nominations, with Nykiya Adams picking up a Best Breakthrough Performance, alongside nominations for her co-stars Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski. Last year, All of Us Strangers took home the most awards, including Best British Independent Film, Director, Supporting Performance, and Screenplay. Other recognized films include How to Have Sex, Femme, and Rye Lane.
Here are the 2024 nominees in full: Best British Independent Film, Best International Independent Film, Best Director, Best Lead Performance, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Performance, Best Joint Lead Performance, The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director, Breakthrough Producer Award, Breakthrough Performance Award, Best Debut Screenwriter, Best Debut Director for a Feature Documentary, Raindance Maverick Award, Best Feature Documentary, Best British Short Film, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Effects, Best Music Supervision, Best Makeup and Hair Design, Best Original Music, Best Production Design, Best Sound.
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