2004 Nominations Announced
Nominations announced today for the 7th Annual BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS to be held on Tuesday 30 November at Hammersmith Palais, London W6
The nominations for this year’s British Independent Film Awards are announced today, Tuesday 26 October. The Awards will be presented on Tuesday 30 November at Hammersmith Palais. The evening event commences with a champagne reception at 7.15pm followed by dinner and the awards ceremony.
This year has seen some wonderful new talent on-screen and behind the scenes. First time nominees include Scarlett Johansson, Imelda Staunton, Phil Davis, Eva Birthistle, Anne Reid and Natalie Press. They are joined by previous BIFA winners Samantha Morton, Daniel Craig, Kevin Macdonald and Shane Meadows.
‘This year’s nominees reflect the growing strength and diversity of British independent filmmaking,’ says BIFA founder and director, Elliot Grove, ‘Our selection committee had a harder time than ever narrowing down the field. It’s also extremely gratifying to see two of our past Douglas Hickox Award (for Best Directorial Debut) winners following through on the promise that they showed: both Kevin Macdonald and Shane Meadows were recognised by BIFA for their first feature films and both are nominated this year in the Best Director category.’
The BIFA pre-selection committee viewed a diverse range of independent films from which they selected the nominations and this year sees an eclectic mix of nominees from drama to comedy to romance excelling in a number of categories. DEAD MAN’S SHOES leads the way with eight nominations. VERA DRAKE seven nominations and MY SUMMER OF LOVE received five nominations. Other multi-nominated films include SHAUN OF THE DEAD, AE FOND KISS…, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, ENDURING LOVE and TOUCHING THE VOID.
Now in their seventh year, the British Independent Film Awards continue to grow in size and stature, filling an important niche in the UK and independent filmmaking calendar. The talent and achievements of these independent filmmakers will be celebrated at the ceremony.
Also this year, The Variety UK Personality Award, honours J K Rowling for her contribution to the industry.
‘At the source of one of the greatest creative successes in the history of film, the Harry Potter phenomenon, you’ll find a U.K. author: J.K. Rowling. Rowling’s internationally-beloved works are the starting point of the U.K. film community’s role in the Potter film phenom, continuing with the producers, the production locations, services, facilities, creative wizards and of course, the cast. To celebrate Rowling is to also celebrate the vitality of this magic-making community.’
Steven Gaydos, Executive Editor International, VARIETY/DAILY VARIETY
Categories for the awards include:
• Best British Independent Film
• Best Foreign Independent Film (Sponsored by UGC Cinemas)
• Best Performance by an Actor
• Best Performance by an Actress
• Best Performance by a supporting Actor/Actress (Sponsored by Film Finders)
• Best Director (Sponsored by The Creative Partnership)
• The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Directorial Debut
• Best Screenplay (Sponsored by BBC Films)
• Most Promising Newcomer (Sponsored by Chiltern)
• Best British Feature Documentary
• Best Achievement in Production (Sponsored by Recorded Picture Company)
• Best Technical Achievement
• Best British Short (Nokia supported by The British Council)
• The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film
• The Special Jury Prize (Supported by the UK Film Council)
• The Variety UK Entertainment Personality Award
This year’s BIFA jury chair is Anthony Minghella [Writer/Producer/Director] and he is joined by Helena Bonham Carter [Actress], Christian Slater [Actor], Cate Blanchett [Actress], Rosamund Pike [Actress], Lynne Ramsay [Writer/Director], Sam Taylor-Wood [Artist/Photographer/Director], Skin [Actress/Singer], Mark Cousins [Writer/Producer/Director], Laura De Casto [Managing Director Tartan Films], Antonia Bird [Producer/Director], David Aukin [Producer], John Akomfrah [Director], Stewart Till [Chief Executive Officer UIP/Chairman UK Film Council].
A film is eligible for consideration if:
•it is intended for theatrical release, and has had a public screening to a paying audience either on general release in the UK or at a British-based film festival between 1st October 2003 and 30th November 2004.
•it is not solely funded by a single studio.
•it has been produced or majority co-produced by a British company or is in receipt of at least 51% of its budget from a British source or sources or it qualifies as a British Film under the DCMS guidelines
•When the majority of finance has come from a British source the film must also include sufficient creative elements from the UK
•BIFA also consider foreign independent films for the Best Foreign Independent Film category
All films submitted for consideration are viewed by the Advisory Committee with the help of a nominated screening committee. The committee then decide the nominations by ballot.
Best British Independent Film
1. Dead Man’s Shoes
2. Touching the Void
3. Vera Drake
4. Shaun of the Dead
5. My Summer of Love
Best Actor
1. Paddy Considine – Dead Man’s Shoes
2. Geoffrey Rush – The Life & Death of Peter Sellers
3. Daniel Craig – Enduring Love
4. Phil Davis – Vera Drake
5. Ian Hart – Blind Flight
Best Actress
1. Imelda Staunton – Vera Drake
2. Natalie Press – My Summer of Love
3. Eva Birthistle – Ae Fond Kiss…
4. Anne Reid – The Mother
5. Scarlett Johansson – Girl With A Pearl Earring
Best Supporting Actor/Actress
Sponsored by Film Finders
1. Paddy Considine – My Summer of Love
2. Gary Stretch – Dead Man’s Shoes
3. Romola Garai – Inside I’m Dancing
4. Samantha Morton – Enduring Love
5. Eddie Marsan – Vera Drake
Most Promising Newcomer
Sponsored by Chiltern
1. Toby Kebbell – Dead Man’s Shoes
2. Emily Blunt – My Summer of Love
3. Nick Frost – Shaun Of the Dead
4. Ashley Walters – Bullet Boy
5. Atta Yaqub – Ae Fond Kiss
Best Director
Sponsored by The Creative Partnership
1. Kevin Macdonald – Touching the Void
2. Shane Meadows – Dead Man’s Shoes
3. Mike Leigh – Vera Drake
4. Pawel Pawlikowsky – My Summer of Love
5. Roger Michell – Enduring Love
Best Screenplay
Sponsored by BBC Films
1. Shane Meadows & Paddy Considine – Dead Man’s Shoes
2. Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright – Shaun Of The Dead
3. Paul Laverty – Ae Fond Kiss…
4. Mike Leigh – Vera Drake
5. Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely – The Life & Death Of Peter Sellers
Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director)
1. Peter Webber – Girl With A Pearl Earring
2. John Crowley – Intermission
3. Matthew Vaughn – Layer Cake
4. Saul Dibb – Bullet Boy
5. Emily Young – Kiss Of Life
Best Technical Achievement
1. Cinematography – Touching the Void – Mike Eley
2. Wardrobe – Bride & Prejudice – Eduardo Castro & Ralph Holes
3. Cinematography – Enduring Love – Haris Zambarloukos
4. Editing – Dead Man’s Shoes – Lucas Roche & Chris Wyatt
5. Production Design – Code 46 – Mark Tildesley
Best Achievement in Production
Sponsored by Recorded Picture Company
1. Dead Man’s Shoes
2. Vera Drake
3. Girl With a Pearl Earring
4. Code 46
5. Bride & Prejudice
Best Foreign Film
Sponsored by UGC Cinemas
1. Motorcycle Diaries
2. Oldboy
3. Fahrenheit 9/11
4. Hero
5. Pieces of April
Best Documentary
1. Touching the Void
2. Aileen
3. Trollywood
4. Drowned Out
5. Peace One Day
The Raindance Award
1. The Barn
2. Blinded
3. Chicken Tikka Masala
The Variety UK Personality of the Year
J K Rowling
To be announced:
The Special Jury Prize – sponsored by The UK Film Council
Best British Short Film – sponsored by Nokia and supported by the British Council
The Richard Harris Award
For further information, please contact:
Phil Symes/Emma Greenwood @ The PR Contact Ltd.
Tel: 020 7323 1200 / Fax: 020 7323 1070
