After Love wins top prizes at 2021 BIFAs
After Belfast co-led the 2021 British Independent Film Award nominations last month, alongside Boiling Point, Kenneth Branagh's Oscar-tipped period drama walked away from the prize ceremony last night in joint last place. It converted none of its 11 nods into wins, though enthusiasm for Belfast was perhaps lower here than the stats would suggest: it failed to land in either Best Film or Best Director. Meanwhile, Aleem Khan's After Love stormed the top categories, winning six awards in total including Best Film, Director, and acting prizes for Joanna Scanlan and Talid Ariss; Boiling Point took four. All the details below.
Best British Independent Film
AFTER LOVE (Aleem Khan and Matthieu de Braconier)
Best Director
Aleem Khan (AFTER LOVE)
Best Actress
Joanna Scanlan (AFTER LOVE)
Best Actor
Adeel Akhtar (ALI & AVA)
Best Supporting Actress
Vinette Robinson (BOILING POINT)
Best Supporting Actor
Talid Ariss (AFTER LOVE)
Best Screenplay (sponsored by BBC Film)
Aleem Khan (AFTER LOVE)
Best Cinematography (sponsored by Dirty Looks and Kodak)
Matthew Lewis (BOILING POINT)
Best Editing
Helle le Fevre (THE SOUVENIR: PART II)
Best Production Design
Stephane Collonge (THE SOUVENIR: PART II)
Best Costume Design
Grace Snell (THE SOUVENIR: PART II)
Best Sound
James Drake (BOILING POINT)
Best Effects
Steven Bray and Mike Knights (DASHCAM)
Best Make-Up & Hair Design
Vickie Lang, Kristyan Mallett and Donald McInnes (THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN)
Best Music (sponsored by Universal Music Publishing Group)
Connie Farr and Harry Escott (ALI & AVA)
Best Casting (sponsored by Casting Society and Spotlight)
Carolyn McLeod (BOILING POINT)
Best Documentary (sponsored by Intermission Film)
POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE (Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Zoe Howe, Rebecca Mark-Lawson, Matthew Silverman and Daria Nitsche)
Best International Independent Film (sponsored by Champagne Taittinger)
FLEE (Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Amin Nawabi, Monica Hellstrom and Signe Byrne Sorensen)
The Douglas Hickox Award for Debut Director
Aleem Khan (AFTER LOVE)
Best Breakthrough Performance
Nell Barlow (SWEETHEART)
Best Debut Screenwriter (sponsored by Film4)
Cathy Brady (WILDFIRE)
Best Breakthrough Producer (sponsored by Pinewood Studios Group)
Michelle Antoniades (SWEETHEART)
The Raindance Discovery Award
POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE (Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Zoe Howe, Rebecca Mark-Lawson, Matthew Silverman and Daria Nitsche)
Best British Short (supported by BFI Network)
FEMME (Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping, Sam Ritzenberg, Hayley Williams and Rienjke Attoh)