rocks new

Source: Altitude

‘Rocks’

Rocks was the big winner at the 2020 British Independent Film Awards tonight (BIFAs, Thursday, February 18), taking home five prizes including best British independent film.

The film also won three acting prizes: best supporting actress and most promising newcomer for Kosar Ali, and best supporting actor for D’Angelou Osei Kissiedu.

Scroll down for the full list of winners

“We’re not just any ordinary girls from the estate. We’re more than that. Our postcodes do not determine our limits,” said cast member Tawheda Begum when accepting the best British independent film prize.

There were four awards for His House, including best director for Remi Weekes, who dedicated his prize to “the immigrants, the migrants, the asylum seekers, the outsiders and the minorities”.

Riz Ahmed won best debut screenwriter for Mogul Mowgli, which he wrote with director Bassam Tariq. Ahmed also picked up the best British short film prize for The Long Goodbye, which he co-wrote with Aneil Karia and Karia directed.

Rose Glass won the Douglas Hickox award for debut director for Saint Maud, adding to the film’s best cinematography prize for Ben Fordesman.

The awards were hosted online by Tom Felton, who was joined virtually by presenters including Zendaya, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Daisy Edgar Jones, James Norton and Rafe Spall. The full ceremony is available to watch below.

“It actually makes me quite emotional… when I think of all the cast members from Harry Potter who were asked before me,” quipped Felton - best known for his role as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series.

Nine Screen Stars of Tomorrow picked up a total of 10 prizes, including best actress for Wunmi Mosaku, the Discovery award for Eva Riley’s Perfect 10 and Ahmed’s two prizes.

It was a strong night for Film4, which had a hand in films winning eight of the 15 prizes given out on the night (RocksThe Father, Saint MaudLimbo); as did the BFI, also with eight of 15 (RocksSaint MaudThe Reason I JumpLimboPerfect 10). BBC Film backed four winners on the night (His HouseMogul MowgliPerfect 10), and nine in total. 

21 of the 44 individuals to win awards are women (48%); 14 of the 25 awards were won or co-won by a woman (56%). 11 of the 44 winners come from an ethnic minority background (25%), comprising 9 of 25 awards won or co-won (36%).

Winners in the nine craft categories were revealed last month, with His House and Misbehaviour receiving two prizes each.

Saint Maud set a record total of 17 when nominations were announced in December, followed by His House with 16 and Rocks with 15.

The 2020 BIFAs were moved from the ceremony’s usual December slot due to pandemic-induced schedule changes

BIFAs 2020 winners

Winners in bold

Best British Independent Film

Calm With Horses - Nick Rowland, Joe Murtagh, Daniel Emmerson

The Father - Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton, David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi, Philippe Carcassonne

His House - Remi Weekes, Martin Gentles, Edward King, Roy Lee, Aidan Elliott, Arnon Milchan

Rocks - Sarah Gavron, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson, Faye Ward, Ameenah Ayub Allen

Saint Maud - Rose Glass, Oliver Kassman, Andrea Cornwell

Best Director

Sarah Gavron - Rocks [associate director Anu Henriques]

Rose Glass - Saint Maud

Nick Rowland - Calm With Horses

Remi Weekes - His House

Florian Zeller - The Father

Best Screenplay

Rose Glass - Saint Maud

Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson - Rocks

Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed - Mogul Mowgli

Remi Weekes - His House

Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton - The Father

Best Actress

Bukky Bakray - Rocks

Morfydd Clark - Saint Maud

Clare Dunne - Herself

Wunmi Mosaku - His House

Andrea Riseborough - Luxor

Best Actor

Riz Ahmed - Mogul Mowgli

Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù - His House

Amir El-Masry - Limbo

Anthony Hopkins - The Father

Cosmo Jarvis - Calm With Horses

Best Supporting Actress

Niamh Algar - Calm With Horses

Kosar Ali - Rocks

Jennifer Ehle - Saint Maud

Ashley Madekwe - County Lines

Fiona Shaw - Kindred

Best Supporting Actor

Harris Dickinson - County Lines

Barry Keoghan - Calm With Horses

Alyy Khan - Mogul Mowgli

Merab Ninidze - The Courier

D’Angelou Osei Kissiedu - Rocks

The Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director)

Henry Blake - County Lines

Rose Glass - Saint Maud

Eva Riley - Perfect 10

Nick Rowland - Calm With Horses

Remi Weekes - His House

Breakthrough Producer

Douglas Cox - Host [also produced by Emily Gotto, Samuel Zimmerman]

Daniel Emmerson - Calm With Horses

Irune Gurtubai - Limbo [also produced by Angus Lamont]

Oliver Kassman - Saint Maud [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]

Edward King, Martin Gentles - His House [also produced by Aidan Elliott, Roy Lee, Arnon Milchan]

Debut Screenwriter

Riz Ahmed - Mogul Mowgli [also written by Bassam Tariq]

Rose Glass - Saint Maud

Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson - Rocks

Joe Murtagh - Calm With Horses

Remi Weekes - His House

Most Promising Newcomer

Niamh Algar - Calm With Horses

Kosar Ali - Rocks

Bukky Bakray - Rocks

Frankie Box - Perfect 10

Conrad Khan - County Lines

Best Documentary

The Australian Dream - Daniel Gordon, Stan Grant, Sarah Thomson, Nick Batzias, Virginia Whitwell, John Battsek

Being A Human Person - Fred Scott, Mike Brett, Steve Jamison, Jo-Jo Ellison

The Reason I Jump - Jerry Rothwell, Jeremy Dear, Stevie Lee, Al Morrow

Rising Phoenix - Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui, Greg Nugent, John Battsek, Tatyana Mcfadden

White Riot - Rubika Shah, Ed Gibbs

The Discovery Award

Justine - Jamie Patterson, Jeff Murphy, Jason Rush, Sarah Drew, Julius Beltrame

Looted - Rene Van Pannevis, Kefi Chadwick, Jennifer Eriksson, Jessie Mangum

One Man And His Shoes - Yemi Bamiro, Will Thorne

Perfect 10 - Eva Riley, Jacob Thomas, Bertrand Faivre, Valentina Brazzini

Rose: A Love Story - Jennifer Sheridan, April Kelley, Sara Huxley, Matt Stokoe, Rob Taylor, Sophie Rundle

Best British Short Film

Filipiñana - Rafael Manuel, Naomi Pacifique

The Forgotten C - Molly Manning Walker, Jessi Gutch

The Long Goodbye - Aneil Karia, Riz Ahmed, Tom Gardner

Mandem - John Ogunmuyiwa, Emily Everdee

Sudden Light - Sophie Littman, Tom Wood

Best International Independent Film

Babyteeth - Shannon Murphy, Rita Kalnejais, Alex White

Les Misérables - Ladj Ly, Giordano Gederlini, Alexis Manenti, Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral

Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Eliza Hittman, Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy

Nomadland - Chloé Zhao, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey

Notturno - Gianfranco Rosi, Donatella Palermo, Paolo Del Brocco, Serge Lalou, Camille Laemlé, Orwa Nyrabia, Eva-Maria Weerts

Best Casting

Shaheen Baig - Calm With Horses

Kharmel Cochrane - Saint Maud

Carmen Cuba - His House

Dan Jackson - Limbo

Lucy Pardee - Rocks

Best Cinematography

Nick Cooke - Limbo

Ben Fordesman - Saint Maud

Hélène Louvart - Rocks

Annika Summerson - Mogul Mowgli

Jo Willems - His House

Best Costume Design

Michele Clapton - The Secret Garden

Ruka Johnson - Rocks

Tina Kalivas - Saint Maud

Michael O’Connor - Ammonite

Charlotte Walter - Misbehaviour

Best Editing

Julia Bloch - His House

Yorgos Lamprinos - The Father

Maya Maffioli - Rocks

Brenna Rangott - Host

Mark Towns - Saint Maud

Best Effects

Agnes Asplund, Martin Malmqvist - Undergods

Scott Macintyre, Bariş Kareli, Kristyan Mallett - Saint Maud

Pedro Sabrosa, Stefano Pepin - His House

Best Make Up & Hair Design

Jacquetta Levon - Saint Maud

Sharon A Martin - His House

Ivana Primorac - Ammonite

Nora Robertson - Rocks

Jill Sweeney - Misbehaviour

Best Music

Roque Baños - His House

Paul Corley - Mogul Mowgli

Nainita Desai - The Reason I Jump

Connie Farr, Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch - Rocks

Adam Janota Bzowski - Saint Maud

Best Production Design

Jacqueline Abrahams - His House

Cristina Casali - Misbehaviour

Peter Francis - The Father

Marketa Korinkova, Elo Soode - Undergods

Paulina Rzeszowska - Saint Maud

Best Sound

Adrian Bell, Glenn Freemantle, Frank Kruse, Brendan Nicholson, Richard Pryke - His House

Paul Davies, Simon Farmer, Andrew Skirk - Saint Maud

Paul Davies, Robert Farr, Nigel Albermaniche, Ian Morgan - Mogul Mowgli

Nick Ryan, Ben Baird, Sara De Oliveira Lima - The Reason I Jump

Calum Sample - Host