EXCLUSIVE: This Is England and Adolescence production company Warp Films will receive the honorary Special Jury Prize at this weekend’s British Independent Film Awards (Bifas).
“For nearly 25 years, Warp Films has been the preeminent independent film and TV production company in the UK,” said a statement from the Bifa jury.
“Warp’s commitment to telling raw and relevant stories, made by visionary writers and directors, is unflinching and uncompromising. From Dead Man’s Shoes and This Is England to Adolescence and Reunion, they have attracted enormous audiences and proved over and over that there is a genuine hunger out there for stories that tell us the unvarnished truth.”
The company will be presented with the award during the Bifa ceremony on Sunday, November 30.
“It is a great honour to receive this recognition from Bifa, an organisation that has supported Warp and our films for over 20 years,” said Warp co-founder and CEO Mark Herbert.
“We have never taken the easy route and to be recognised by our peers is a reminder that there is still a hunger for British stories that cut through the noise and make their mark on audiences around the world - and with our recent hire of Amy O Hara we are signalling our commitment to producing more ‘Warp’ films in the coming years.
“I would like to thank all the brave and brilliant filmmakers, the talent, the crews and the financiers and funders for working with Warp to tell their stories with craft, conviction and a huge heart. Also, all the brilliant staff who have worked with Warp over the years, this is for all of us.”
Founded in 2001, Sheffield-based Warp has produced regular acclaimed UK independent films and TV series. It has worked regularly with Shane Meadows on films including Dead Man’s Shoes, This Is England and The Stone Roses: Made Of Stone; while the company has also made films by Yann Demange (’71), Paddy Considine (Tyrannosaur), Richard Ayoade (Submarine), Ben Wheatley (Kill List) and Idris Elba (Yardie).
Having made three This Is England TV seasons with Meadows, Warp scored an international hit this year with Netflix series Adolescence, directed by Philip Barantini. The company’s latest mini-series Reunion aired on BBC One in the UK this April.
Earlier this month, the company added Amy O’Hara as a producer in its feature film division, with O’Hara joining from Film4.
Warp has also this month launched a paid film and TV internship scheme for people living in South Yorkshire, in partnership with Netflix and Screen Yorkshire.
“Growing up in Sheffield and going to a comprehensive school, I wasn’t aware of the opportunities that existed in the film and TV industry, and the position I hold today is very much down to a chance meeting along the way,” said Warp COO Niall Shamma. “We want to change that and give local people the belief that this industry is open to them, and also provide them with a meaningful opportunity in the sector.”
The company is encouraging applicants from working-class backgrounds. The application process will be launched through Warp’s social media channels, open to applicants living in South Yorkshire, with the placement starting in March 2026.
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