Wednesday 9th November saw stars and leading figures of the British film industry turn up to celebrate the British Independent Film Awards at Hammersmith Palais, London.

In its ninth year, the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) have established themselves as one of the most important awards ceremonies in the British film industry and are regarded as the kick-off to the Awards Season. The BIFAs celebrate the best of British talent, including Helen Mirren who is this year's Variety UK Film Achievement Award recipient.

The winners are as follows:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM - SPONSORED BY THE UK FILM COUNCIL
This is England

BEST DIRECTOR - SPONSORED BY THE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP
Kevin Macdonald - The Last King of Scotland

BEST ACTOR
Tony Curran - Red Road

BEST ACTRESS - SPONSORED BY M.A.C
Kate Dickie - Red Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR / ACTRESS
Leslie Phillips - Venus

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER (ON SCREEN) - SPONSORED BY DIESEL
Thomas Turgoose - This is England

BEST SCREENPLAY - SPONSORED BY BBC FILMS
Peter Morgan - The Queen

BEST FOREIGN INDEPENDENT FILM
Hidden [Cach�]

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD - (BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR)
Menhaj Huda - Kidulthood

BEST BRITISH DOCUMENTARY
The Road to Guantanamo

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT - SPONSORED BY SKILLSET
Anthony Dod Mantle - Cinematography - The Last King of Scotland

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION - SPONSORED BY RECORDED PICTURE COMPANY
London to Brighton

BEST BRITISH SHORT
Cubs

THE RAINDANCE AWARD - SPONSORED BY RAINDANCE
The Ballad of AJ Weberman

BEST 15 SECOND SHORT - SPONSORED BY NOKIA
What's the Point?

SPECIAL AWARDS

THE VARIETY UK FILM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Helen Mirren

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BRITISH FILM BY AN ACTOR) - SPONSORED BY BUENA VISTA INTERNATIONAL - Jim Broadbent

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE - Ken Loach

This year's jury, which is chaired by Sandy Lieberson, consists of Reuben Barnes, Martin Childs, Anne V Coates, Alan Cumming, Leo Davis, Anna Friel, Jason Isaacs, Mick Jones, Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory, Damien O'Donnell, Kelly Reilly, Martin Sherman and Colin Salmon.

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council, the major funding partner of the BIFAs says: "We are proud to be supporting the BIFAs which are a great champion for the British film industry, and for excellence and originality in independent filmmaking. This year's nominations and award winners highlight the outstanding talent working in the UK with established and emerging talent both producing films which are not only winning critical acclaim and attracting cinema-goers alike. "

The British Independent Film Awards, created by Raindance, are now under the newly appointed directorship of Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, who have jointly been involved with the running of the Awards since its inception in 1998. They say, "We are really excited that the BIFAs are now regarded as the kick-off to the international awards season which culminates in the BAFTAs and Academy Awards in the Spring. The BIFAs also have a real purpose to promote British Independent film talent to an ever growing audience worldwide." Founder Elliot Grove is delighted with the progress that BIFA has made and more than happy with its two new directors. "I am proud to have created the only true indigenous independent film awards in Britain back in 1998. The time is now right for BIFA to stand on its own and grow under the capable hands of Johanna and Tessa who between them have worked with me since the beginning". Elliot Grove

Patrons of BIFA include Tilda Swinton, Ray Winstone, Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Samantha Morton, Bill Nighy, Trudie Styler, Meera Syal and Michael Winterbottom.

In its ninth year, the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) has established itself as one of the most important awards ceremonies in the British film industry, and is regarded as a kick-off to the Awards Season.

BIFA prides itself on providing a platform for up-and-coming talent, and this year has increased the number of nominations in the Most Promising Newcomer Category as there was so much talent to choose from.

BIFA is also excited to unveil its new jury, comprised of professionals and talents from across the British film industry. The following nominations will be placed before the auspicious and eclectic jury. Which, we can now reveal, means this bunch:

THE JURY
Chaired by veteran producer Sandy Lieberson are jurors Reuben Barnes, Martin Childs, Anne V Coates, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Leo Davis, Anna Friel, Jason Isaacs, Mick Jones, Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory, Damien O'Donnell, Kelly Reilly, Martin Sherman and Colin Salmon.

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
� The Last King of Scotland
� The Queen
� Red Road
� This is England
� The Wind That Shakes the Barley

BEST DIRECTOR (SPONSORED BY THE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP)
� Kevin Macdonald � The Last King of Scotland
� Stephen Frears � The Queen
� Michael Caton Jones � Shooting Dogs
� Shane Meadows � This is England
� Ken Loach � The Wind that Shakes the Barley

BEST ACTOR
� Forest Whitaker (Idi Amin) � The Last King of Scotland
� Peter O'Toole (Maurice) � Venus
� Cillian Murphy (Damien) � The Wind that Shakes the Barley
� Tony Curran (Clyde) � Red Road
� James McAvoy (Nicholas Garrigan) � The Last King of Scotland

 "I'm simply not very good at it, nor very keen on it - I don't like premieres and things like that. I'd just rather do my acting and then piss off." - Peter O'Toole

BEST ACTRESS (SPONSORED BY MAC)
� Helen Mirren (Queen Elizabeth II) - The Queen
� Kate Dickie (Jackie) � Red Road
� Frances de la Tour (Mrs Lintott) � The History Boys
� Robin Wright Penn (Liv) � Breaking & Entering
� Juliette Binoche (Amira) � Breaking & Entering

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR / ACTRESS
� Martin Compston (Stevie) � Red Road
� Leslie Phillips (Ian) � Venus
� Vanessa Redgrave (Maurice's ex-wife) � Venus
� Joseph Gilgun (Woody) � This is England
� Stephen Graham (Combo) � This is England

  "I don't want to give my ego a chance." - Vanessa Redgrave

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER (ON SCREEN) (SPONSORED BY DIESEL)
� Jodie Whittaker (Jessie) - Venus
� Thomas Turgoose (Shaun) � This is England
� Samuel Barnett (Posner) � The History Boys
� Harry and Luke Treadaway (Tom and Barry Howe) � Brothers of the Head
� Dominic Cooper (Dakin) � The History Boys
� Rafi Gavron (Miro) � Breaking & Entering

BEST SCREENPLAY (SPONSORED BY BBC FILMS)
� Alan Bennett � The History Boys
� Peter Morgan � The Queen
� Hanif Kureishi � Venus
� Shane Meadows � This is England
� Peter Morgan & Jeremy Brock � The Last King of Scotland

 "Those who have known the famous are publicly debriefed of their memories, knowing as their own dusk falls that they will only be remembered for remembering someone else." - Alan Bennett

BEST FOREIGN INDEPENDENT FILM
� Volver
� Hidden (Cache)
� The Beat My Heart Skipped
� Brick
� Hard Candy

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR
� Menhaj Huda - Kidulthood
� Paul Andrew Williams � London to Brighton
� Andrea Arnold � Red Road
� Tom Vaughan � Starter For Ten
� Caradog W James � Little White Lies

BEST BRITISH DOCUMENTARY
� The Road to Guantanamo
� Blindsight
� The Great Happiness Space
� The Pervert's Guide To Cinema
� Unknown White Male

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT (SPONSORED BY SKILLSET)
� The Last King of Scotland � Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle
� This is England � Music (Ludovico Einaudi � Original Music)
� The Wind That Shakes The Barley � Cinematography: Barry Ackroyd
� The Queen � Make-Up: Daniel Phillips
� The Queen � Production Design: Alan MacDonald

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION (SPONSORED BY RECORDED PICTURE CO.)
� London to Brighton
� Kidulthood
� Shooting Dogs
� The Road to Guantanamo
� Severance

BEST BRITISH SHORT
� Cubs
� Ex Memoria
� The 10th Man
� Who I Am & What I Want
� At the End of the Sentence

THE RAINDANCE AWARD (SPONSORED BY RAINDANCE)
� The Ballad of AJ Weberman
� London to Brighton
� Scenes of a Sexual Nature

BEST 15 SECOND SHORT (SPONSORED BY NOKIA)
� Chrysanthemums the Word
� What's the Point?
� Fate and Mr McKinley
� Death of the Dinosaurs
� Ah, Youth

SPECIAL AWARDS: THE VARIETY UK PERSONALITY AWARD
Helen Mirren

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BRITISH FILM BY AN ACTOR) SPONSORED BY BUENA VISTA INTERNATIONAL
To be Announced

*THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE SPONSORED BY THE UK FILM COUNCIL
To be Announced