Dec. 5 (UPI) — Director Charlotte Wells’ debut Aftersun won Best Feature Film at this year’s 25th British Independent Film Awards. The A24 coming-of-age film follows a father-daughter relationship over a twenty-year span and stars Frankie Corio as Sophie, an 11-year-old girl who takes an impactful vacation to Turkey with her father (Paul Mescal). Wells also took home the award for Best Director and Best Debut Director.
Hosted by Ben Bailey Smith in a ceremony at Old Billingsgate, the BIFA Awards has honored the best of British independent film since it was founded in 1998.
This latest honor follows Wells’ win as Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Awards.
This year, the BIFA Awards announced gender-neutral categories for the first time in its 25-year history. Letitia Wright of Black Panther and Tamara Lawrence were honored for their work in The Silent Twins, the first award granted in the new Best Joint Performance Category.
The best winner reactions from #BIFA2022
Jessie Ware pic.twitter.com/4UoYLYyqL7— BIFA (@BIFA_film) December 4, 2022
The Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Awards went to Rosie McEwen and Kerrie Hayes for their roles in Blue Jean. Georgia Oakley, the screenwriter for Blue Jean won the Best Debut Screenplay Award. Top film honors went to the Sinead O’Connor documentary feature Nothing Compares for Best Documentary and the top International Independent Film was Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, out of Norway.
The full list of winners:
The Richard Harris Award For Outstanding Contribution By An Actor To British Film -Samantha Morton
The Special Jury Prize – Open Door
Best British Independent Film – Aftersun
Best Director Charlotte Wells – Aftersun
Best Screenplay Charlotte Wells, Aftersun
Best Lead Performance – Rosy McEwen, Blue Jean
Best Supporting Performance – Kerrie Hayes, Blue Jean
Best Joint Lead Performance -Tamara Lawrance, Letitia Wright – The Silent Twins
Best Ensemble Performance – Our River… Our Sky ensemble, including Zainab Joda, Darina Al Joundi, Amed Hashimi, Mahmoud Abo Al Abbas, Basim Hajar, Labwa Arab, Meriam Abbas, Siham Mustafa
Breakthrough Performance – Safia Oakley-Green, The Origin
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director), Charlotte Wells, Aftersun
Best Debut Director Feature Documentary – Kathryn Ferguson, Nothing Compares
Breakthrough Producer, Nadira Murray, Winners, also produced by Paul Welsh
Best Debut Screenwriter – Georgia Oakley, Blue Jean
The Raindance Discovery Award – Winners, Hassan Nazer, Nadira Murray, Paul Welsh
Best Feature Documentary – Nothing Compares, Kathryn Ferguson, Eleanor Emptage, Michael Mallie
Best British Short Film – Too Rough, Sean Lìonadh, Ross Mckenzie, Alfredo Covelli
Best International Independent Film – The Worst Person In The World, Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, Thomas Robsahm
Best Casting – Shaheen Baig, Blue Jean
Best Costume Design – Jenny Beavan, Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris
Best Cinematography – Gregory Oke, Aftersun
Best Editing – Blair McClendon, Aftersun
Best Original Music – Matthew Herbert, The Wonder
Best Effects – David Simpson, Men
Best Sound – Tim Harrison, Raoul Brand, Cassandra Rutledge, Flux Gourmet
Best Make-Up& Hair Design – Eugene Souleiman, Scarlett O’Connell, Medusa Deluxe
Best Music Supervision – Lucy Bright, Aftersun
Best Production Design – Helen Scott, Living