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...
News

Stories still unspoken Interview with Thomas Pollack, Andrew McNeill and Katarina Kokenyova about Rozkvet

Where crows are watching JP Davidson and Craig Russell on nature, belief, UK horror and The Cull

Truth and lies Sean Hogan on true crime documentaries, unknowable characters and The Dark Gets In

A walking contradiction Sinéad O'Shea on James 'Fergie' Chambers Jr and All About The Money

Unconventional families Milcho Manchevski on being blacklisted and making Sister Brother Manhole Cover

Expecting the unexpected Jordan Mark Windsor and Sean Wallace on Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant

More news and features

We're bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the Belfast Film Festival, the Cheltenham International Film Festival and the Leeds International Film Festival.



We're looking forward to the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the French Film Festival and DOC NYC.



We've recently brought you coverage of Halloween Frightfest, the Scottish Queer International Film Festival, Newfest, the London Film Festival, the New York Film Festival, Grimmfest and Beyond Fest.



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, Instagram and Bluesky.


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


Sundance Announces Legacy line-up of archive films


Frightfest Newcastle event announced for May 2027


French Film Festival UK Programme announced


Tallinn Black Nights Documentary line-up and Special Screenings announced


London Winners announced