BIFAs under Control

Joy Division biopic a big winner at independent film awards.

by Amber Wilkinson

Anton Corbijn's biopic about Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, Control, triumphed at the British Independent Film Awards, winning five prizes including best film and best director.

Star Sam Riley - making his acting debut - won the prize for best newcomer in his role as Curtis, while the best supporting actor role went to his co-star Tony Kebbell. Corbijn also won the Douglas Hickox Award for best director.

Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, BIFA co-directors say: "A decade ago, the need for an awards ceremony that celebrated British independent film talent was identified. We are now ten years on and BIFA has grown to celebrate the increasingly diverse range of talent out there.

"This year’s winners are no exception to this rule with Anton Corbijn winning the Douglas Hickox award and Judi Dench winning Best Actress."

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council, the major funding partner of the BIFAs says: "This year's nominations and award winners really highlight the outstanding talent working in the UK with beautiful and thought-provoking films made by both established and emerging filmmakers.

"The BIFAs are a great champion for the British film industry celebrating excellence and originality in independent filmmaking."

The acting gongs went to Dench for her role in Notes On A Scandal and Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises.

The prize for best documentary went to Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten, while ultra low-budget film The Inheritance won the Raindance Award.

Other winners included, Dog Altogether (best short), The Lives Of Others (best foreign independent feature) and Sunshine (best technical achievement).

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