11/12/2017 - The other big winners of the night were Lady Macbeth, The Death of Stalin and I Am Not a Witch

Director Francis Lee collects one of the awards won by God’s Own Country (© Pete Summers/REX/Shutterstock)

God’s Own Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francis Lee
film profile] has won Best British Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs). The film, directed by Francis Lee, about an intense relationship on a Yorkshire farm won four BIFAs in all. Josh O’Connor took home Best Actor and Francis Lee was named Best Debut Screenwriter, plus the movie bagged the previously announced Best Sound Award. 

The other big winners of the night were William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: William Oldroyd
film profile] with five awards, Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] winning four gongs and Rungano Nyoni’s I Am Not a Witch [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rungano Nyoni
film profile] winning three awards. 

Lady Macbeth added to its brace of awards announced earlier this month (Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design) with trophies for Best Screenplay for Alice Birch, Best Actress for Florence Pugh and Most Promising Newcomer for Naomi Ackie. 

The Death of Stalin’s four awards included Simon Russell Beale being named Best Supporting Actor in addition to the previously announced wins for Best Production Design, Best Make-up & Hair Design and Best Casting.

I Am Not a Witch won three gongs: Breakthrough Producer for Emily Morgan, and Rungano Nyoni won both The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director and Best Director. This is only the second time a director has won both awards (the last time was in 2007, when Anton Corbijn was doubly crowned for Control [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

The only category of the night open to non-UK films, Best International Independent Film, was won by Get Out, and the award was collected by the film’s stars Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams.

Here is the full list of the 2017 BIFA winners:

Best British Independent Film
God’s Own Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francis Lee
film profile] - Francis Lee

Best International Independent Film
Get Out - Jordan Peele (USA)

Best Director
Rungano Nyoni - I Am Not a Witch [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rungano Nyoni
film profile] (UK/France/Germany)

Best Screenplay
Alice Birch - Lady Macbeth [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: William Oldroyd
film profile]

Best Actress
Florence Pugh - Lady Macbeth

Best Actor
Josh O’Connor - God’s Own Country

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Clarkson - The Party [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Sally Potter
film profile]

Best Supporting Actor
Simon Russell Beale - The Death of Stalin [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (UK/France)

Most Promising Newcomer
Naomi Ackie - Lady Macbeth

The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director
Rungano Nyoni - I Am Not a Witch

Debut Screenwriter
Francis Lee - God’s Own Country

Breakthrough Producer
Emily Morgan - I Am Not a Witch

The Discovery Award
In Another Life [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Jason Wingard

Best Documentary
Almost Heaven [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Carol Salter

Best British Short Film
Fish Story - Charlie Lyne, Catherine Bray, Anthony Ing

Best Cinematography
Ari Wegner - Lady Macbeth

Best Casting
Sarah Crowe - The Death of Stalin

Best Costume Design
Holly Waddington - Lady Macbeth

Best Editing
Jon Gregory - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (US/UK)

Best Effects
Nick Allder, Ben White - The Ritual [+see also:
trailer
film profile]

Best Make-up & Hair Design
Nicole Stafford - The Death of Stalin

Best Music
Carter Burwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Production Design
Cristina Casali - The Death of Stalin

Best Sound
Anna Bertmark - God’s Own Country