Benedict Cumberbatch honoured by BIFAs

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

• '71
• Calvary
• Mr Turner
• Pride
• The Imitation Game

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]

• Daniel Wolfe, Matthew Wolfe – Catch Me Daddy
• Hong Khaou – Lilting
• Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard – 20,000 Days On Earth
• Morgan Matthews – X+Y
• Yann Demange – '71

BEST SCREENPLAY

• Graham Moore – The Imitation Game
• Gregory Burke – '71
• John Michael McDonagh – Calvary
• Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan – Frank
• Stephen Beresford – Pride

BEST ACTRESS

• Alicia Vikander – Testament Of Youth
• Cheng Pei Pei – Lilting
• Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle
• Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game
• Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

BEST ACTOR

• Asa Butterfield – X+Y
• Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
• Brendan Gleeson – Calvary
• Jack O'Connell – '71
• Timothy Spall – Mr Turner

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

• '71
• 20,000 Days on Earth
• Catch Me Daddy
• Lilting
• The Goob

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

• 20,000 Days on Earth
• Next Goal Wins
• Night Will Fall
• The Possibilities Are Endless
• Virunga

BEST BRITISH SHORT

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

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM

• Blue Ruin
• Boyhood
• Fruitvale Station
• Ida
• The Babadook

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