‘Lady Macbeth’ and ‘God’s Own Country’ were the big winners at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs). The drama movie added to its two (BIFAs) victories announced last month – Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design for Ari Wegner and Holly Waddington respectively – by taking home Best Actress for Florence Pugh, Best Screenplay for Alice Birch and Naomi Ackie won Most Promising Newcomer. The plot of the movie – which also stars Cosmo Jarvis – follows a woman in 1865 who is trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man and begins a passionate affair with a man her own age.
The most coveted prize went to the ‘God’s Own Country’ studio as they won the Best British Independent Film gong on Sunday night . Leading man Josh O’Connor won Best Actor and Francis Lee was awarded the Best Debut Screenwriter accolade for the motion picture, which tells the story of a farmer who develops an intense relationship with a Romanian migrant worker. ‘The Death of Stalin’ also added to its previously announced awards – Best Casting accolade for Sarah Crowe, and Nicole Stafford and Cristina Casali’s Best Make Up & Hair Design and Best Production Design respectively – with Simon Russel Beale winning Best Supporting Actor.
Patricia Clarkson, who appeared in ‘The Party’, won the equivalent award in the actress category. Other winners at the star-studded event, which took place at London’s Old Billingsgate, included Best Director and Best Debut Director victor Rungano Nyoni for ‘I Am Not a Witch’. Emily Morgan was also handed the Breakthrough Producer prize for the same movie.
British Independent Film Awards 2017 winners:
Best British Independent Film: God’s Own Country
Best Director: Rungano Nyoni – I Am Not a Witch
Best Screenplay: Alice Birch – Lady Macbeth
Best Actress: Florence Pugh – Lady Macbeth
Best Actor: Josh O’Connor – God’s Own Country
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Clarkson – The Party
Best Supporting Actor: Simon Russel Beale – The Death of Stalin
Most Promising Newcomer: Naomi Ackie – Lady Macbeth
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director): Rungano Nyoni – I Am Not a Witch
Debut Screenwriter: Francis Lee – God’s Own Country
Breakthrough Producer: Emily Morgan – I Am Not a Witch
The Discovery Award: In Another Life
Best Documentary: Almost Heaven – Carol Salter
Best British Short Film: Fish Story
Best Cinematography: Ari Wegner – Lady Macbeth
Best Casting: Sarah Crowe – The Death of Stalin
Best Costume Design: Holly Waddington – Lady Macbeth
Best Editing: Jon Gregory – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Effects: Nick Allder, Ben White – The Ritual
Best Make Up & Hair Design: Nicole Stafford – The Death of Stalin
Best Music: Carter Burwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Production Design: Cristina Casali – The Death of Stalin
Best Sound: Anna Bertmark – God’s Own Country
Best International Independent Film: Get Out-Bang Showbiz
