Sir Michael Caine to receive Variety Award

Veteran star to be given accolade at BIFA ceremony

by Amber Wilkinson

Sir Michael Caine has been confirmed as the recipient of the Variety Award at this year’s British Independent Film Awards.

With a distinguished career spanning five decades, Sir Michael Caine is one of the most celebrated actors to focus the international spotlight on the British film industry.

Steven Gaydos, Executive Editor at Variety says: "Michael Caine's versatility and durability have been hallmarks of his art over decades, making his continuing pursuit of excellence and his passionate and generous commitments to new filmmakers and edgy film projects all the more impressive."

Daniel Day-Lewis will also be honoured with the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film by an Actor. The awards will be held in London on December 6 and hosted by James Nesbitt.

The nominees for this year's awards are as follows:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
An Education
Fish Tank
In The Loop
Moon
Nowhere Boy

BEST DIRECTOR
Andrea Arnold - Fish Tank
Armando Iannucci - In The Loop
Duncan Jones - Moon
Jane Campion - Bright Star
Lone Scherfig - An Education

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD - BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR
Armando Iannucci - In The Loop
Duncan Jones - Moon
Peter Strickland - Katalin Varga
Sam Taylor-Wood - Nowhere Boy
Samantha Morton - The Unloved

BEST SCREENPLAY
Nick Hornby - An Education
Andrea Arnold - Fish Tank
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche - In The Loop
Nathan Parker - Moon
Matt Greenhalgh Nowhere Boy

BEST ACTRESS
Abbie Cornish - Bright Star
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria
Katie Jarvis - Fish Tank
Sophie Okonedo - Skin

BEST ACTOR
Aaron Johnson - Nowhere Boy
Andy Serkis - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Peter Capaldi - In The Loop
Sam Rockwell - Moon
Tom Hardy - Bronson

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anne-Marie Duff - Nowhere Boy
Kerry Fox - Bright Star
Kierston Wareing - Fish Tank
Kristin Scott Thomas - Nowhere Boy
Rosamund Pike - An Education

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alfred Molina - An Education
The Damned United
John Henshaw - Looking For Eric
Michael Fassbender - Fish Tank
Tom Hollander - In The Loop

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Christian McKay - Me & Orson Welles
Edward Hogg - White Lightnin'
George MacKay - The Boys Are Back
Hilda Peter - Katalin Varga
Katie Jarvis - Fish Tank

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Bronson
Bunny And The Bull
The Hide
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus
Katalin Varga

RAINDANCE AWARD
Colin
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Down Terrace
Exam
They Call It Acid

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Cinematography - Greig Fraser - Bright Star
Production Design - Gary Williamson - Bunny and the Bull
Cinematography - Robbie Ryan Fish Tank
Original Score - Clint Mansell - Moon
Production Design - Tony Noble - Moon

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Age Of Stupid
The End Of The Line
Mugabe And The White African
Sons Of Cuba
Sounds Like Teen Spirit

BEST BRITISH SHORT
Christmas With Dad
Leaving
Love You More
Sidney Turtlebaum
Washdays

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Il Divo
The Hurt Locker
Let The Right One In
Sin Nombre
The Wrestler

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution to British Film)
Daniel Day-Lewis

THE VARIETY AWARD
Sir Michael Caine

Share this with others on...

Movies out this week include:

Is This Thing On? Nouvelle Vague Primate Rabbit Trap
News

Home truths Marijana Janković on Balkan representation, and the immigrant question of belonging

The division belle Suzannah Herbert on facing the US' troubled history and making Natchez

Spin-off alchemy Claude Schmitz on bringing back cop pairing for Conrad & Crab – Idiotic Gems

Past crime Christoffer Boe on creating a world for his period mystery Special Unit - The First Murder

It Was Just An Accident screenwriter arrested in Iran Jafar Panahi speaks out

Sundance announces winners Josephine, Nuisance Bear, Shame And Money and To Hold A Mountain take top prizes

More news and features

Interact

As we move into 2026, don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.

With awards season in full flow, you can keep track of the latest news on that here:

César nominations Nouvelle Vague leads the race for France's biggest awards

BAFTA nominations One Battle After Another and Sinners almost neck and neck

Critics' Circle Awards One Battle After Another wins fight

Oscars Sinners dominates the nominations