As 2024 draws to a close, it signifies one thing — the arrival of awards season! While various Critics' Circle and Guild events have already begun, Sundays night marked the first major event of the season in the UK: the British Independent Film Awards.
Hosted by Peter Serafinowicz at London's Roundhouse, the ceremony celebrated Rich Peppiatt's dynamic Irish rap trio biopic Kneecap — already recognized as one of Empire's Best Movies of 2024 — as the night's biggest winner. The film, currently streaming on Prime Video UK, secured seven awards, including Best British Independent Film, Best Joint Lead Performance for Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, and Best Debut Screenwriter for Peppiatt.
In other major acting categories, Marianne Jean-Baptiste won Best Lead Performance for her powerful portrayal of embattled matriarch Pansy in Mike Leigh's Hard Truths, reuniting the director and star 28 years after their previous collaboration, Secrets And Lies. Franz Rogowski, for his role as the titular Bird in Andrea Arnold's magical-social-realist tale, triumphed over co-star Barry Keoghan, Hard Truths' Michele Austin, and Hoard actress Hayley Squires to win Best Supporting Performance.
In other news, Rungano Nyoni's On Becoming A Guinea Fowl won two major awards — Best Director for Nyoni and Best Breakthrough Performance for lead Susan Chardy. Meanwhile, the game-based documentary Grand Theft Hamlet also celebrated with a couple of victories. Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls received a Best Debut Director — Feature Documentary award for their efforts during lockdown, and the film additionally secured the aptly named Raindance Maverick Award for GTH's ahem innovative approach to the genre. Although this is the British Independent Film Awards, in the Best International Independent Film category, Sean Baker's Anora took the top prize, with the director dedicating the win to British boyband Take That, whose song 'Greatest Day' features in the movie's stunning opening.