THE 17th MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
AWARDS BESTOW EMMA THOMPSON WITH THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD
London, Wednesday 19th
November – The recipient of The Richard Harris Award was announced today by Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, joint Directors, The
Moët British Independent Film Awards.
Emma Thompson will receive The Richard
Harris Award at the ceremony on Sunday 7h December at Old
Billingsgate.
The Richard Harris Award was
introduced in 2002 in honour of Richard Harris and recognises outstanding
contribution to British film by an actor.
Previous winners have included, John Hurt, David Thewlis, Bob Hoskins,
Jim Broadbent, Daniel Day-Lewis, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Michael
Gambon and Julie Walters in 2013.
Emma Thompson is one of the
world’s most respected talents for her versatility in acting as well as
screenwriting. She is the sole artist thus far to have received an
Academy Award for both acting and screenwriting.
Thompson commented: “I am so
delighted to be receiving The Richard Harris Award at this year’s MBIFAs. It is
a very special award, in name of an incredible actor who inspired so many
people during his career. I am honoured to follow in the footsteps of my peers
who have received this award before me, and look forward to celebrating a
fantastic year of British independent filmmaking on 7th December.”
In 1992, Thompson caused a
sensation with her portrayal of Margaret Schlegel in the Merchant Ivory
adaptation of E.M. Forster’s HOWARDS
END. Sweeping the Best Actress category wherever it was
considered, the performance netted her a BAFTA Award, Los Angeles Film Critics
Award, New York Film Critics Award, Golden Globe and Academy Award. She
earned two Oscar nominations the following year for her work in The REMAINS OF THE DAY and IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER.
In 1995, Thompson’s adaptation of
Jane Austen’s SENSE AND SENSIBILITY,
directed by Ang Lee, won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as well
as the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay and Best Screenplay awards from the
Writers Guild of America among others. For her performance in the film she
was honored with a Best Actress award from BAFTA and nominated for a Golden
Globe and an Academy Award. Her performance
in Richard Curtis’ LOVE ACTUALLY earned Thompson Best Actress in a
Supporting Role at the 2004 Evening Standard Film Awards, London Film Critics
Circle Awards and Empire Film Awards, along with a BAFTA nomination. In 2013, Thompson’s moving portrayal of
author ‘P.L. Travers’ in SAVING MR. BANKS earned her both the National Board of
Review and Empire Best Actress Awards, along with Golden Globe, Broadcast Film
Critics, SAG and BAFTA nominations.
Thompson
completed filming this summer in Scotland on THE LONG MIDNIGHT OF BARNEY
THOMSON opposite Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone, and on director Ken Kwapis’ A
WALK IN THE WOODS, opposite Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. She is also part of
Jason Reitman’s MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN as well as the upcoming ADAM JONES, starring
Bradley Cooper.
In March of this year, to the
delight of both critics and audiences, she portrayed ‘Mrs. Lovett’ in the New
York Philharmonic’s staged production of Stephen Sondheim’s SWEENEY TODD: THE
DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, opposite
bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, in the title role. She and Terfel will reprise their
roles, in a limited run at the London Coliseum with the English National Opera,
for the ENO’s first ever season of musical theater, in March of 2015.
Thompson’s feature film debut
came in 1988, starring opposite Jeff Goldblum in the comedy THE TALL GUY. Her other film
credits include HENRY V; DEAD AGAIN;
PETER’S FRIENDS; MUCH ADO ABOUT
NOTHING; JUNIOR; CARRINGTON;
THE WINTER GUEST; IMAGINING ARGENTINA;
PRIMARY FICTION; STRANGER THAN FICTION; LAST CHANCE HARVEY (Golden Globe
nomination as Best Actress); LOVE
PUNCH; Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animated film, BRAVE, and MEN IN BLACK
3.
In 2010, she reprised the title
role of the magical Nanny in NANNY
MCPHEE RETURNS, for which she also wrote the screenplay and acted as an
Executive Producer. Thompson created the character for the screen
originally in 2004, in her own adaptation of NANNY MCPHEE, DIRECTED by Kirk Jones. In 2004, she brought to
the screen JK Rowling’s character of Sybil Trelawney in HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, for director Alfonso Cuaron, and in 2007, she reprised
the role in HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER
OF THE PHOENIX, for director David Yates.
As previously announced, Benedict Cumberbatch
will receive The Variety Award at this year’s MBIFAs.
This year’s nominations were announced on 3rd
November at St Martins Lane, London. The nominees for Best British Independent
Film were ’71; CALVARY; MR TURNER; PRIDE and THE IMITATION GAME. Leading the
charge this year is ’71 with nine nominations; PRIDE with seven nominations and
CATCH ME DADDY; FRANK and MR TURNER with five nominations each.
For the full list of nominations visit http://www.bifa.org.uk/nominations/2014
This
year’s Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 7th December at Old
Billingsgate.
Now in its 17th year, the Awards were created by Raindance
in 1998 and set out to celebrate
merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking,
to honour new
talent, and to promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.
merit and achievement in independently funded British filmmaking,
talent, and to promote British films and filmmaking to a wider public.
Previous winners of
the prestigious Best British Independent Film Award include METRO MANILA, TYRANNOSAUR, THE KING’S SPEECH, MOON, CONTROL, SLUMDOG
MILLIONAIRE, THE CONSTANT GARDENER and
THIS IS ENGLAND.
Proud supporters and patrons of
The Moët British Independent Film Awards include Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor,
Helen Mirren, Samantha Morton, James Nesbitt, Michael Sheen, Trudie Styler,
Tilda Swinton, Meera Syal, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Michael Winterbottom.
The Moët British Independent Film
Awards would like to thank all its supporters, especially: Moët &
Chandon, 3 Mills Studios, BBC Films, M.A.C Cosmetics, Movado, Raindance, St
Martins Lane, Soho House, Swarovski, Variety, AllCity, Intermission.
Created by
Raindance
Notes to the editor:
Moët & Chandon is the champagne of success and glamour since 1743.
Renowned for its achievements, firsts and legendary pioneering spirit, Moët
& Chandon is the Maison that introduced champagne to the world. Synonymous
with the most venerable of traditions and the most modern of pleasures, Moët
& Chandon has celebrated life’s most triumphant moments with grandeur and
generosity for more than 270 years.
The Champagne of Cinema
For nearly a century, Moët & Chandon has
celebrated the glamour and the red carpet magic of international cinema. The
Maison is a strong and long-time supporter of film awards and ceremonies, such
as the Golden Globes, and the International Film Festivals in Venice and San
Sebastian to name a few.
For press
information regarding The Moët British Independent Film Awards contact Emma
McCorkell or Caragh Cook at Organic:
emma.mccorkell@organic-publicity.co.uk
caragh.cook@organic-publicity.co.uk
+44 (0) 203 372 0976 / +44 (0) 203 372 0986
Images from the 2013 Awards ceremony are available
to download from
http://www.organic-marketing.co.uk/press-centre
For press information regarding Moët & Chandon
contact Anna Budel:
+44 (0)20
7808 4458
For further
information on MBIFA, visit www.bifa.org.uk
For further
information on Moët & Chandon, visit http://moet.com
For further information on Raindance,
visit www.raindance.org
Current
Rules & Eligibility:
All films
must be submitted for consideration by September 19th 2014.
A feature
film will be eligible for an Award 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 has screened at a British-based
film festival between 1st December 2013 and 30th November 2014.
Where
there is any major studio substantially funding a film, the total budget must
not exceed $20M. Films are not defined as “independent” strictly on the terms
of financing.
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 AND includes sufficient
creative elements from the UK
A feature
film must be no less than 70 minutes in length.
Films
that have been entered previously are not eligible. Re-issues of previously
released films are not eligible.
Best
British Feature Documentary. In 2003 the British Independent Film Awards
introduced this new award. Eligible films must be non-fiction. They should
be photographed in actual occurrence, or employ partial re-enactment, stock
footage, stills, animation, stop-motion or other techniques, as long as the
emphasis is on fact and not on fiction. (Further eligibility criteria as with
other feature films above).
Best
International Independent Film. BIFA also consider foreign independent
films. Foreign films must have a British theatrical release during the
eligibility period stated above
The Douglas Hickox Award
is to be given a British director for their debut feature film. The estate of
Douglas Hickox shall present a cheque for £500 to
the winner.
British
Short Film Award submissions: Any British short film that has been accepted as
part of the Official Selection at one of BIFAs recognised film festivals [See
bifa.org.uk] OR has won an award during the eligibility period. Any
variations are at the sole discretion of BIFA. A short film must be no longer
than 40 minutes (including credits).
All
eligible films submitted for consideration will be viewed by the BIFA
Pre-Selection Committee. Members vote by secret ballot firstly to draw up
a long list then again to determine the nominations. All nominated films are
then viewed by an independent Jury appointed each year. The winners are
announced during the evening of the Awards Ceremony. [See Voting Policy]
The
Special Jury Prize will be decided entirely at the Jury’s discretion.
The Variety
Award recognises an actor, director, writer or producer who has helped to
focus the international spotlight on the UK
The
Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film by an Actor
(male/female) to be decided by the Advisory Committee with the input of the
Harris family.
Under
exceptional circumstances, inclusion and consideration of films which do not
strictly comply with the above criteria will be subject to the discretion of
the British Independent Film Awards Advisory Committee.
All
decisions made by BIFA and its members are final and no correspondence will be
entered into as to why particular entries were or were not nominated.
–
See more at: http://www.bifa.org.uk/rules-of-eligibility#sthash.MjftRUXf.dpuf
For further
information on MBIFA, visit www.bifa.org.uk
