Lady Macbeth topped the list of nominations for the 2017 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) with 15 nominations including Best British Independent Film. The Death of Stalin, I Am Not a Witch follow with 13 nominations each; and God’s Own Country and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri each nominated 11 times. Overall, debut features dominate the nominations list, with the first-time writers, producers and directors of Lady Macbeth, I Am Not a Witch and God’s Own Country all recognized in the three newcomer categories – Debut Screenwriter, Breakthrough Producer and The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director – as well as Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best British Independent Film.
Past BIFA winners Armando Iannucci and Martin McDonagh are the writer-directors of this year’s other two Best British Independent Film nominees, The Death of Stalin and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Both films have two nominees in the Best Supporting Actor category, with The Death of Stalin’s Simon Russell Beale and Steve Buscemi taking on Three Billboards’ Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell. Frances McDormand is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in Three Billboards and Andrea Riseborough for Supporting Actress for The Death of Stalin. Both films also have nominations for Best Director, Best Screenplay.
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool has four nominations including two for past BIFA winners Jamie Bell and Julie Walters, nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Gary Oldman will receive The Variety Award at the ceremony.The Variety Award recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK. Past winners include Kate Winslet, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Greengrass, Jude Law, Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson, Sir Michael Caine, Naomie Harris, Daniel Craig, Helen Mirren and Richard Curtis.
Winners will be announced by host Mark Gatiss at the British Independent Film Awards Ceremony on Sunday December 10 at Old Billingsgate.
Best British Independent Film
The Death of Stalin
God’s Own Country
I Am Not a Witch
Lady Macbeth
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best International Independent Film
The Florida Project
Get Out
I Am Not Your Negro
Loveless
The Square
Best Director
Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin)
Francis Lee (God’s Own Country)
Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Rungano Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch)
William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth)
Best Screenplay
Alice Birch (Lady Macbeth)
Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin (The Death of Stalin)
Francis Lee (God’s Own Country)
Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Rungano Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch)
Best Actress
Emily Beecham (Daphne)
Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Margaret Mulubwa (I Am Not a Witch)
Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth)
Ruth Wilson (Dark River)
Best Actor
Jamie Bell (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)
Paddy Considine (Journeyman)
Johnny Harris (Jawbone)
Josh O’Connor (God’s Own Country)
Alec Secareanu (God’s Own Country)
Best Supporting Actress
Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth)
Patricia Clarkson (The Party)
Kelly MacDonald (Goodbye Christopher Robin)
Andrea Riseborough (The Death of Stalin)
Julie Walters (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)
Best Supporting Actor
Simon Russell Beale (The Death of Stalin)
Steve Buscemi (The Death of Stalin)
Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Ian Hart (God’s Own Country)
Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Most Promising Newcomer sponsored by The London EDITION
Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth)
Harry Gilby (Just Charlie)
Cosmo Jarvis (Lady Macbeth)
Harry Michell (Chubby Funny)
Lily Newmark (Pin Cushion)
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Deborah Haywood (Pin Cushion)
Francis Lee (God’s Own Country)
Thomas Napper (Jawbone)
Rungani Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch)
William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth)
Debut Screenwriter
Alice Birch (Lady Macbeth)
Gaby Chiappe (Their Finest)
Johnny Harris (Jawbone)
Francis Lee (God’s Own Country)
Rungani Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch)
Breakthrough Producer
Gavin Humphries (Pin Cushion)
Emily Morgan (I Am Not a Witch)
Brendan Mullin, Katy Jackson (Bad Day For The Cut)
Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Lady Macbeth)
Jack Tarling, Manon Ardisson (God’s Own Country)
The Discovery Award
Even When I Fall
Halfway
In Another Life
Isolani R
My Pure Land
Best Documentary
Almost Heaven
Half Way
Kingdom Of Us
Uncle Howard
Williams
Best British Short Film
1745
Fish Story
The Entertainer
Work
Wren Boys
Best Cinematography
Ben Davis (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
David Gallego (I Am Not a Witch)
Tat Radcliffe (Jawbone)
Thomas Riedelsheimer (Leaning Into the Wind)
Ari Wegner (Lady Macbeth)
Best Casting
Shaheen Baig (Lady Macbeth)
Shaheen Baig, layla Merrick-Wolf (God’s Own Country)
Sarah Crowe (The Death of Stalin)
Sarah Halley Finn (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Debbie McWilliams (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)
Best Costume Design
Dinah Collin (My Cousin Rachel)
Suzie Harman (The Death of Stalin)
Sandy Powell (How to Talk to Girls at Parties)
Holly Rebecca (I Am Not a Witch)
Holly Waddington (Lady Macbeth)
Best Editing
Johnny Burke (Williams)
David Charap (Jawbone)
Jon Gregory (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Peter Lambert (The Death of Stalin)
Joe Martin (Us And Them)
Best Effects
Nick Allder, Ben White (The Ritual)
Luke Dodd (Journeyman)
Effects team (The Death of Stalin)
Dan Martin (Double Date)
Chris Reynolds (Their Finest)
Best Make Up & Hair Design
Julene Paton (I Am Not a Witch)
Jan Sewell (Breathe)
Nadia Stacey (Journeyman)
Nicole Stafford (The Death of Stalin)
Sian Wilson (Lady Macbeth)
Best Music
Carter Burwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Fred Frith (Leaning Into The Wind)
Matt Kelly (I Am Not a Witch)
Paul Weller (Jawbone)
Christopher Willis (The Death of Stalin)
Best Production Design
Jacqueline Abrahams (Lady Macbeth)
Cristina Casali (The Death of Stalin)
James Merifield (Final Portrait)
Nathan Parker (I Am Not a Witch)
Eve Stewart (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)
Best Sound
Anna Bertmark (God’s Own Country)
Maiken Hansen (I Am Not a Witch)
Andy Shelley, Steve Griffiths (Jawbone)
Joakim Sundström (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Sound team (Breathe)