Leigh's 'Vera Drake' dominates awards for independent films
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Mike Leigh's contentious and heart-rending film about back-street abortions in the 1950s swept the board at last night's British Independent Film Awards.
Mike Leigh's contentious and heart-rending film about back-street abortions in the 1950s swept the board at last night's British Independent Film Awards.
Vera Drake repeated its triumph of the Venice Film Festival by being named best film and taking the best actress prize for Imelda Staunton.
She beat a shortlist including the rising star Scarlett Johansson with a performance touted as an Oscar contender.
But there were honours, too for Staunton's on-screen husband, Phil Davis, who beat nominees including Daniel Craig and Geoffrey Rush to the best actor prize, and Eddie Marsan, whose touching performance as a tongue-tied bachelor took the best supporting actor/actress prize from a shortlist that included Samantha Morton.
Mike Leigh, a director who has often struggled to win praise and financial backing in Britain, was named best director from a list which included Kevin Macdonald for Touching the Void , Roger Michell, whose previous hits include Notting Hill , for Enduring Love, and Shane Meadows for Dead Man's Shoes .
Elliot Grove, founder of the British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), Britain's only ceremony dedicated to British independent films, said: "I hope the awards will alert the powerful people in Hollywood that there are films made on these shores." The prizes were awarded at a ceremony in the Hammersmith Palais, London.
Guests included Christian Slater, the Hollywood star now on the West End stage and on this year's jury; Billy Zane, Kelly Brook; Gillian Anderson; James Nesbitt and Martine McCutcheon. Bob Hoskins, the star of films including The Long Good Friday and Mona Lisa , won the 2004 Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.
And Ashley Walters, the rapper with So Solid Crew, was named most promising newcomer for his performance in Bullet Boy . He also won a newcomer of the year nomination in the whatsonstage.com theatre awards for his National Theatre appearance in Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads .
The theatre director John Crowley's move into films was rewarded with the prize for debut director, making his debut with Layer Cake after producing hits such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels .
And Kevin Macdonald's feat in recreating the climb attempted by Joe Murphy and Simon Yates in Peru was named best documentary. Mike Eley took the best achievement in production award for his cinematography.
BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS
Best British Independent Film, Vera Drake
Best Foreign Independent Film, Oldboy
Best Performance by an Actor, Phil Davis, Vera Drake
Best Performance by an Actress, Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Best Performance by a supporting Actor/Actress, Eddie Marsan, Vera Drake
Best Director, Mike Leigh, Vera Drake
The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Directorial Debut, John Crowley, Intermission
Best Screenplay, Shaun of the Dead
Most Promising Newcomer, So Solid Crew's Ashley Walters, for Bullet Boy
Best British Feature Documentary, Touching the Void
Best Achievement in Production, Vera Drake
Best Technical Achievement, Cinematographer Mike Eley, Touching the Void
Best British Short, School of Life
The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film, Bob Hoskins
The Special Jury Prize, Film producer Norma Heyman
The Variety UK Entertainment Personality Award, J K Rowling
Raindance Award, The Barn
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments