Oscars Watch: 20th British Independent Film Award Nominees

On November 1st, Maisie Williams and Hayley Squires announced the nominees for the 20th British Independent Film Awards. Although most of these will not pop up during the Oscars, awards season is getting into full swing. The one that will likely push through is the acclaimed “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” which will likely get some acting nods, a writing nod, possibly a directing nod, and if those come to fruition, then likely a Best Picture nominations. Others that have slight chances of getting smaller nominations include “Lady Macbeth,” which led the BIF nominations with 15 and “Get Out,” which popped up on the Best International Independent Film list.

From Variety: Gary Oldman is to receive this year’s Variety Award. The award recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the U.K. Previous recipients of the award include Benedict Cumberbatch, Jude Law, Kenneth Branagh, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Paul Greengrass, Daniel Craig, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Naomie Harris, who was last year’s honoree. Steven Gaydos, Variety’s Vice President and Executive Editor, said: “In the 30 years since Gary Oldman galvanized global film audiences with his portrayal of punk rocker Sid Vicious in ‘Sid and Nancy,’ Oldman has blazed a path as one of international cinema’s most versatile and valued actors. From blockbusters to American indie classics and U.K. masterworks, Oldman has been a force of nature who’s brought life to a stunning variety of characters across all genres of film.” BIFA said in a statement: “An acclaimed presence in motion pictures for 30 years, Oldman is regarded as one of the foremost actors of his generation.”

The actor is known to millions around the world for his characterizations of Sirius Black (Harry Potter’s godfather), Commissioner Gordon (Batman’s crime-fighting colleague), Dracula, Beethoven, Pontius Pilate, Lee Harvey Oswald, Joe Orton, and Sid Vicious. His portrayal of George Smiley in Tomas Alfredson’s “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” brought him a BAFTA Award, British Independent Film Award, European Film Award, and Academy Award nominations for best actor.

Oldman’s most recent role is that of Winston Churchill in Joe Wright’s “Darkest Hour.” The biopic charting Churchill’s appointment as prime minister during the early days of World War II [which he will likely be nominated (and is the arguable front-runner to win) for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.]

This 2oth anniversary of the British Independent Film Awards will take place on December 10th at Old Billingsgate.

Best British Independent Film

• “The Death of Stalin”
• “God’s Own Country”
• “I Am Not a Witch”
• “Lady Macbeth”
• “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best Director

• Armando Iannucci – “The Death of Stalin”
• Francis Lee – God’s Own Country”
• Martin McDonagh – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Rungano Nyoni – “I Am Not a Witch”
• William Oldroyd – “Lady Macbeth”

Best Actress

• Emily Beecham – “Daphne”
• Frances McDormand – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Margaret Mulubwa – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Florence Pugh – “Lady Macbeth”
• Ruth Wilson – “Dark River”

Best Actor

• Jamie Bell – “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”
• Paddy Considine – “Journeyman”
• Johnny Harris – “Jawbone”
• Josh O’Connor – “God’s Own Country”
• Alec Secareanu – “God’s Own Country”

Best Supporting Actress

• Naomi Ackie – “Lady Macbeth”
• Patricia Clarkson – “The Party”
• Kelly MacDonald – “Goodbye Christopher Robin”
• Andrea Riseborough – “The Death of Stalin”
• Julie Walters – “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”

Best Supporting Actor

• Simon Russell Beale – “The Death of Stalin”
• Steve Buscemi – “The Death of Stalin”
• Woody Harrelson – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Ian Hart – “God’s Own Country”
• Sam Rockwell – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best Screenplay

• Alice Birch – “Lady Macbeth”
• Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin – “The Death of Stalin”
• Francis Lee – God’s Own Country”
• Martin McDonagh – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Rungano Nyoni – “I Am Not a Witch”

Best Casting

• Shaheen Baig – “Lady Macbeth”
• Shaheen Baig, layla Merrick-Wolf – “God’s Own Country”
• Sarah Crowe – “The Death of Stalin”
• Sarah Halley Finn – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Debbie McWilliams – “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”

Best Cinematography

• Ben Davis – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• David Gallego – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Tat Radcliffe – “Jawbone”
• Thomas Riedelsheimer – “Leaning Into the Wind”
• Ari Wegner – “Lady Macbeth”

Best Costume Design

• Dinah Collin – “My Cousin Rachel”
• Suzie Harman – “The Death of Stalin”
• Sandy Powell – “How to Talk to Girls at Parties”
• Holly Rebecca – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Holly Waddington – “Lady Macbeth”

Best Film Editing

• Johnny Burke – “Williams”
• David Charap – “Jawbone”
• Jon Gregory – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Peter Lambert – “The Death of Stalin”
• Joe Martin – “Us And Them”

Best Make Up & Hair Design

• Julene Paton – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Jan Sewell – “Breathe”
• Nadia Stacey – “Journeyman”
• Nicole Stafford – “The Death of Stalin”
• Sian Wilson – “Lady Macbeth”

Best Original Score

• Carter Burwell – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Fred Frith – “Leaning Into The Wind”
• Matt Kelly – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Paul Weller – “Jawbone”
• Christopher Willis – “The Death of Stalin”

Best Production Design

• Jacqueline Abrahams – “Lady Macbeth”
• Cristina Casali – “The Death of Stalin”
• James Merifield – “Final Portrait”
• Nathan Parker – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Eve Stewart – “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool”

Best Sound

• Anna Bertmark – “God’s Own Country”
• Maiken Hansen – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Andy Shelley, Steve Griffiths – “Jawbone”
• Joakim Sundström – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
• Sound team – “Breathe”

Best Visual Effects

• Nick Allder, Ben White – “The Ritual”
• Luke Dodd – “Journeyman”
• Effects team – “The Death of Stalin”
• Dan Martin – “Double Date”
• Chris Reynolds – “Their Finest”

Best Documentary

• “Almost Heaven”
• “Half Way”
• “Kingdom Of Us”
• “Uncle Howard”
• “Williams”

Best British Short Film

• “1745”
• “Fish Story”
• “The Entertainer”
• “Work”
• “Wren Boys”

Most Promising Newcomer

• Naomi Ackie – “Lady Macbeth”
• Harry Gilby – “Just Charlie”
• Cosmo Jarvis – “Lady Macbeth”
• Harry Michell – “Chubby Funny”
• Lily Newmark – “Pin Cushion”

Best Debut Director

• Deborah Haywood – “Pin Cushion”
• Francis Lee – “God’s Own Country”
• Thomas Napper – “Jawbone”
• Rungani Nyoni – “I Am Not a Witch”
• William Oldroyd – “Lady Macbeth”

Best Debut Screenwriter

• Alice Birch – “Lady Macbeth”
• Gaby Chiappe – “Their Finest”
• Johnny Harris – “Jawbone”
• Francis Lee – “God’s Own Country”
• Rungani Nyoni – “I Am Not a Witch”

Best Breakthrough Producer

• Gavin Humphries – “Pin Cushion”
• Emily Morgan – “I Am Not a Witch”
• Brendan Mullin, Katy Jackson – “Bad Day For The Cut”
• Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly – “Lady Macbeth”
• Jack Tarling, Manon Ardisson – “God’s Own Country”

The Discovery Award

• “Even When I Fall”
• “Halfway”
• “In Another Life”
• “Isolani R”
• “My Pure Land”

Best International Independent Film

• “The Florida Project”
• “Get Out”
• “I Am Not Your Negro”
• “Loveless”
• “The Square”