Tyrannosaur has been named best film at the 14th British Independent Film Awards, with its director Paddy Considine also taking home the best debut director award. Lynne Ramsay wins best director for We Need To Talk About Kevin.

Tyrannosaur scooped three awards, the most of the night, with Olivia Colman also being named best actress for her moving performance as a charity shop worker trying to escape an abusive relationship.

Andrew Haigh’s intimate romance Weekend was a close runner up picking up two prizes for best achievement in production and most promising newcomer for lead actor Tom Cullen.

But the best director award went to Lynne Ramsay for We Need To Talk About Kevin and the best actor award went to Michael Fassbender for his performance in Shame. This year’s winners were more evenly spread than last year, when proceedings were dominated by The King’s Speech.

Ramsay was not able to attend the ceremony as she was on a belated honeymoon, but her DoP Seamus McGarvey accepted the award from Tom Hooper and Danny Boyle on her behalf. Michael Fassbender thanked Shame director Steve McQueen “who literally changed by life with Hunger”.

Going into the night, Tyrannosaur shared the most nominations with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Shame.

Titles: Tyrannosaur, Weekend, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Coriolanus, Kill List, Senna

The winners were announced at a starry ceremony, held at Old Billingsgate in London, and hosted by Bridesmaids actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd, who replaced long time host James Nesbitt. Other stars in attendance included Daniel Craig who presented the best film award to the Tyrannosaur team, Ron Howard and Bradley Cooper.

The event was streamed live for the first time on LoveFilm.

In other categories, the best supporting actress award went to Vanessa Redgrave for Coriolanus and Michael Smiley Best Supporting Actor for Kill List.

Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation followed its successful run, picking up the best foreign film award, whilst Senna was named best documentary.

Tom Hollander presented Ralph Fiennes with the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution to British film.

Joint Directors of the Moet sponsored BIFAs, Johanna von Fischer & Tessa Collinson said the nominees “embodied a diverse range of genres and those walking away with awards tonight are representative of the high quality of outstanding talent we have in this country.”

The full winners list:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM Tyrannosaur

BEST DIRECTOR Lynne Ramsay for We Need To Talk About Kevin

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR] Paddy Considine, Tyrannosaur

BEST SCREENPLAY Richard Ayoade, Submarine

BEST ACTRESS Olivia Colman, Tyrannosaur

BEST ACTOR Michael Fassbender, Shame

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Michael Smiley, Kill List

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER Tom Cullen, Weekend

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION Weekend

THE RAINDANCE AWARD Leaving Baghdad

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Maria Djurkovic (Production Design)

BEST DOCUMENTARY Senna

BEST BRITISH SHORT Chalk

BEST FOREIGN INDEPENDENT FILM A Separation

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film) Ralph Fiennes

THE VARIETY AWARD Kenneth Branagh

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE Graham Easton


 

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