Benedict Cumberbatch honoured by BIFAs

Imitation Game star to pick up Variety Award... plus full list of nominees.

by Amber Wilkinson

Benedict Cumberbatch on Alan Turing: It's all part of the momentum of what I hope is the recognition he deserves
Benedict Cumberbatch on Alan Turing: It's all part of the momentum of what I hope is the recognition he deserves

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has been named as the recipient of The Variety Award, which will be given to The Imitation Game star during the British Independent Film Awards ceremony in London on December 7.

The Variety Award recognises a director, actor, writer or producer who has helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK. Previous winners have included Paul Greengrass, Jude Law, Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson and Dame Helen Mirren.

The Imitation Game - which tells the story of Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing - is also nominated in four categories at this year's awards including a best actor nod for Cumberbatch.

The actor said: "I am delighted to receive this prestigious award. It is made even more special by the recognition of The Imitation Game in this year's nominations, a film I am very proud to be a part of.

The highest number of nominations went to Irish thriller '71, with nine nods, while miner's strike drama Pride picked up seven nominations. The full list of contenders is below, with winners announced at the ceremony in Old Billingsgate, hosted by Inbetweeners star Simon Bird:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM

BEST DIRECTOR

  • John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
  • Lenny Abrahamson – Frank
  • Matthew Warchus – Pride
  • Mike Leigh – Mr Turner
  • Yann Demange – '71

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]

BEST SCREENPLAY

BEST ACTRESS

BEST ACTOR

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Dorothy Atkinson – Mr Turner
  • Imelda Staunton – Pride
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal – Frank
  • Sally Hawkins – X+Y
  • Sienna Guillory – The Goob

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Andrew Scott – Pride
  • Ben Schnetzer – Pride
  • Michael Fassbender – Frank
  • Rafe Spall – X+Y
  • Sean Harris – ‘71

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER

  • Ben Schnetzer – Pride
  • Cara Delevingne – The Face of An Angel
  • Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle
  • Liam Walpole – The Goob
  • Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • Chris Wyatt - Editing - '71
  • Dick Pope - Cinematography - Mr Turner
  • Robbie Ryan - Cinematography - Catch Me Daddy
  • Stephen Rennicks - Music – Frank
  • Tat Radcliffe - Cinematography - '71

BEST DOCUMENTARY

BEST BRITISH SHORT

  • Crocodile
  • Emotional Fusebox
  • Keeping Up With The Joneses
  • Slap
  • The Kármán Line

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM

THE RAINDANCE AWARD

Flim: The Movie... Gregor Luna Keeping Rosy The Beat Beneath My Feet

THE VARIETY AWARD

Benedict Cumberbatch

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film)

To Be Announced

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

Announced at the awards

Share this with others on...
News

The haul story Khoroldorj Choijoovanchig and Kate Kennelly on capturing the life of a female Mongolian trucker

Everything on the line Cara Holmes on the power of community, preserving history and Lesbian Lines

A taste of power Andrew Neel on ordinary life under totalitarianism and How To Feed A Dictator

Rock star spirit Shane Belcourt on Louis Cameron and Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising

Heir presumptive Rob Rice on the power of comedy, political disappointments and Ponderosa

Keeping the rhythm Hugo Ruíz on storytelling techniques, kinky cinema and Dante

More news and features

We're bringing you news, reviews and more from Docs Ireland.



We're looking forward to the Fantasia International Film Festival.



We've recently brought you coverage of Sheffield DocFest, ImagineNative, Tribeca, Cannes, Queer East, the San Francisco Independent Film Festival, Visions du Réel, Fantaspoa, Overlook, BFI Flare and SXSW, the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival and the NY Rendezvous with French Cinema.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

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.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


The Evia Project Event returns for a 5th year with focus on the forest


DocFest Winners announced


Tribeca Awards announced


Karlovy Vary 60th anniversary edition to feature Jesse Eisenberg and Maggie Gyllenhaal as guests


Fantasia Second wave of titles announced