2010 BIFA Noms: The King’s Speech Leads Noms

Earlier this year, the Brits suffered a major setback when the UK Film Council slashed funding, and looking at some of the nominated films below we certainly wish the situation would “fix itself” as there is major quality content in the titles British Independent Film Award nominations this year that might not have been made if not for that support. We have The King’s Speech with a well-deserved total of eight (Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and two Best Supporting Actor nominations) but then you have small treasures that seriously made the grade: both the SXSW showcased Monsters, Tribeca preemed The Arbor received six nominations, while the Sundance displayed Four Lions grabs a total of five. For a list by list category including the stellar Documentary category is listed below.

Worth Noting: Despite it playing a little bit everywhere including Tribeca earlier in the year (here’s our Karlovy Vary festival review) Clio Barnard’s The Arbor is perhaps the lesser known of the nominations. This may have to do with the film’s tone — a quasi-docu/re-acted approach. But U.S audiences will get theatrical release via Strand Releasing in April-ish of next year. I can’t wait. 

Why Do We Care?: Along with the love it received at Telluride and TIFF, this is the first awards ceremony to give serious kudo mentions for The King’s Speech. Will this type of buzz aid the Weinsteins’ bid to make this into 2010’s film to beat at the Oscars? 

BIFA are proud to announce the following nominees for this year’s awards:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
Four Lions
Kick-Ass
The King’s Speech
Monsters
Never Let Me Go

BEST DIRECTOR
Mike Leigh – Another Year
Matthew Vaughn – Kick-Ass
Tom Hooper – The King’s Speech
Gareth Edwards – Monsters
Mark Romanek – Never Let Me Go

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]
Debs Gardner Paterson – Africa United
Clio Barnard – The Arbor
Rowan Joffe – Brighton Rock
Chris Morris – Four Lions
Gareth Edwards – Monsters

BEST SCREENPLAY
Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Simon Blackwell, Christopher Morris – Four Lions
Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn – Kick-Ass
David Seidler – The King’s Speech
William Ivory – Made In Dagenham
Alex Garland – Never Let Me Go

BEST ACTRESS
Manjinder Virk – The Arbor
Ruth Sheen – Another Year
Andrea Riseborough – Brighton Rock
Sally Hawkins – Made In Dagenham
Carey Mulligan – Never Let Me Go

BEST ACTOR
Jim Broadbent – Another Year
Riz Ahmed – Four Lions
Colin Firth – The King’s Speech
Scoot McNairy – Monsters
Aidan Gillen – Treacle Junior

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lesley Manville – Another Year
Helena Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech
Rosamund Pike – Made In Dagenham
Keira Knightley – Never Let Me Go
Tamsin Greig – Tamara Drewe

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kayvan Novak – Four Lions
Guy Pearce – The King’s Speech
Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech
Bob Hoskins – Made In Dagenham
Andrew Garfield – Never Let Me Go

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Manjinder Virk – The Arbor
Andrea Riseborough – Brighton Rock
Tom Hughes – Cemetery Junction
Joanne Froggatt – In Our Name
Conor McCarron – Neds

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
The Arbor
In Our Name
Monsters
Skeletons
Streetdance 3D

RAINDANCE AWARD
Brilliant Love
Jackboots On Whitehall
Legacy
Son Of Babylon
Treacle Junior

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
The Arbor – Sound – Tim Barker
Brighton Rock – Cinematography – John Mathieson
The Illusionist – Animation – Sylvain Chomet
The King’s Speech – Production Design – Eve Stewart
Monsters – Visual Effects – Gareth Edwards

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Arbor
Enemies of the People
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Fire In Babylon
Waste Land

BEST BRITISH SHORT
Baby
Photograph Of Jesus
Sign Language
Sis
The Road Home

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Dogtooth
I Am Love
A Prophet
The Secret In Their Eyes
Winter’s Bone