Rocks takes top awards at BIFAs

His House and The Father also win multiple gongs

by Amber Wilkinson

Sarah Gavron's Rocks will compete for the Golden Shell
Sarah Gavron's Rocks will compete for the Golden Shell Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival

Rocks was the big winner at this year's British Independent Film Awards[imagefullwidth id={ID}], last night, where it topped five categories, including Best British Independent Film.

Sarah Gavron's drama about a teenager's attempts to look after her younger brother after their mother goes AWOL, also took home the Best Supporting Actress and Actor's awards and Most Promising Newcomer and Best Casting (read more about the film's unusual process, here and here), which was previously announced with other craft awards in January.

Remi Weekes British horror His House won two awards and Florian Zeller's The Father took home, three, including a Best Actor award for Anthony Hopkins.

Jerry Rothwell’s documentary The Reason I Jump won Best Documentary and the Best International Independent Film award was won by Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland.

The full list of winners is below:

Best British Independent Film

Best Screenplay

Best Actress

  • WINNER: Wunmi Mosaku, His House
  • Bukky Bakray, Rocks
  • Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud
  • Clare Dunne, Herself
  • Andrea Riseborough, Luxor

Best Actor

Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actor

The Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director)

Breakthrough Producer

  • WINNER: Irune Gurtubai, Limbo [also produced by Angus Lamont]
  • Douglas Cox, Host [also produced By Emily Gotto, Samuel Zimmerman]
  • Daniel Emmerson, Calm With Horses
  • Oliver Kassman, Saint Maud [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]
  • Edward King, Martin Gentles, His House [also produced by Aidan Elliott, Roy Lee, Arnon Milchan]

Debut Screenwriter

Most Promising Newcomer

Best Documentary

The Raindance Discovery Award

Best British Short Film

  • WINNER: The Long Goodbye
  • Filipiñana
  • The Forgotten C
  • Mandem
  • Sudden Light

Best International Independent Film

Best Casting

Best Cinematography

Best Costume Design

  • WINNER: Charlotte Walter, Misbehaviour
  • Michele Clapton, The Secret Garden
  • Ruka Johnson, Rocks
  • Tina Kalivas, Saint Maud
  • Michael O’connor, Ammonite

Best Editing

  • WINNER: Yorgos Lamprinos, The Father
  • Julia Bloch, His House
  • Maya Maffioli, Rocks
  • Brenna Rangott, Host
  • Mark Towns, Saint Maud

Best Effects

  • WINNER: Pedro Sabrosa, Stefano Pepin, His House
  • Agnes Asplund, Martin Malmqvist, Undergods
  • Scott Macintyre, Bariş Kareli, Kristyan Mallett, Saint Maud

Best Make Up & Hair Design

  • WINNER: Jill Sweeney, Misbehaviour
  • Jacquetta Levon, Saint Maud
  • Sharon A Martin, His House
  • Ivana Primorac, Ammonite
  • Nora Robertson, Rocks

Best Music

Best Production Design

Best Sound

  • WINNER: Nick Ryan, Ben Baird, Sara De Oliveira Lima, The Reason I Jump
  • Adrian Bell, Glenn Freemantle, Frank Kruse, Brendan Nicholson, Richard Pryke, His House
  • Paul Davies, Simon Farmer, Andrew Skirk Saint, Maud
  • Paul Davies, Robert Farr, Nigel Albermaniche, Ian Morgan, Mogul Mowgli
  • Calum Sample, Host

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