12th British Independent Film Awards

Winners of the twelfth annual British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) were announced last week for 2009 films. I'm thrilled to see high nods two of my favourite films of the year: science fiction at it's finished in Moon and gut-splitting comedy of In the Loop. Also well deserved love sent Tom Hardy's way as he snags the Best Actor award for Bronson.

Let's have a look at the winners.

Best British Independent Film
Moon

Best Director
Andrea Arnold – Fish Tank

The Douglas Hickox Award, Best Debut Director
Duncan Jones – Moon

Best Screenplay
In the Loop – Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan – An Education

Best Actor
Tom Hardy – Bronson

Best Supporting Actress
Anne-Marie Duff – Nowhere Boy

Best Supporting Actor
John Henshaw – Looking for Eric

Most Promising Newcomer
Katie Jarvis – Fish Tank

Best Achievement in Production
Bunny and the Bull

Raindance Award
Down Terrace

Best Technical Achievement
Bright Star – Cinematography – Greig Fraser

Best Documentary
Mugabe and the White African

Best British Short
Love You More

Best Foreign Film
Let the Right One In

The Richard Harris Award, for Outstanding Contribution to British Film
Daniel Day-Lewis

The Variety Award
Sir Michael Caine

The Special Jury Prize
Baz Bamigboye

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 2009 from the BIFA website
"A film will be eligible for an Award if:

• It is intended for theatrical release, AND has had a public screening to a paying audience either on general release in the UK OR has screened at a British-based film festival between 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009.

• Where there is any major studio substantially funding a film, the total budget must not exceed £10M.

• It has been produced or majority co-produced by a British company OR is in receipt of at least 51% of its budget from a British source or sources OR it qualifies as a British film under the DCMS guidelines AND includes sufficient creative elements from the UK.

• BIFA also consider foreign independent films for the Best Foreign Independent Film category. Foreign films must have a British theatrical release during the eligibility period stated above.

• Best British Short Film Award submissions: Any British short films that have won an award between 16 October 2008 and 15 October 2009 are eligible for consideration. A short film must be no longer than 40 minutes (including credits).

• Films that have been entered previously are not eligible. Re-issues of previously released films are not eligible.

• All films submitted for consideration are viewed by the Advisory Committee with the help of a nominated screening panel, who then decide the nominations by ballot.

• All nominated films will be viewed by the Jury. The winners will be decided by a secret ballot.
Full Eligibility Criteria may be viewed at: http://www.bifa.org.uk/rules"