So the nominations are in for the BIFAs, one of the few awards ceremonies that we’re vaguely okay with. And because the world has been waiting with bated breath, here’s our run down of the lucky nominees…
Best British Independent Film
An Education
Fish Tank
In The Loop
Moon
Nowhere Boy
Should win: Fish Tank
Andrea Arnold’s film has the most overall nods, ratcheting up eight nominations. But it deserves them. Fish Tank is an authentically indie UK film, tough but beautiful, bold and delicate. Arnold does things her own way and even though that means she always refuses to speak to us, you gotta love her for it.
Will win: Fish Tank
I reckon the jury will do the right thing despite the honest alternatives in a strong category, particularly An Education and In The Loop.
Stop it at all costs: Nowhere Boy
Not actually a terrible film, but not great despite its high profile slot closing the London Film Festival.
Best Director
Andrea Arnold – Fish Tank
Armando Iannucci – In The Loop
Duncan Jones – Moon
Jane Campion – Bright Star
Lone Scherfig – An Education
Should win: Andrea Arnold
As above. In another strong category Arnold is an authentic star who, with only two films under her belt, has suggested that she could be the director to carry the UK flag on the world stage over the next decade.
Will win: Andrea Arnold
In The Loop was good but Iannucci is a TV man through and through. Duncan Jones’ award will come elsewhere and Lone Scherfig’s work on An Education is just too low key to catch the attention.
Stop it at all costs: Jane Campion
The world is wrong about Bright Star. We are right. This is a simpering middle-brow con job from Campion who absolutely mustn’t win any awards at all.
Best Debut Director
Armando Iannucci – In The Loop
Duncan Jones – Moon
Peter Strickland – Katalin Varga
Sam Taylor-Wood – Nowhere Boy
Samantha Morton – The Unloved
Should win: Peter Strickland
For sheer fortitude, strength of character and triumph in the face of adversity, Strickland should take the award. Katalin Varga was an excoriating and smart revenge drama expertly marshalled by the director.
Will win: Duncan Jones
No real complaints if the just goes with Jones because Moon was an above average British sci-fi, but it’ll be a triumph of publicity first and foremost.
Stop it at all costs: Samantha Morton
Haven’t seen the film, but she allegedly tried to have us banned from our own Control party because we once said we didn’t like The Libertine. Dude, no one liked The Libertine!
Best Screenplay
An Education – Nick Hornby
Fish Tank – Andrea Arnold
In The Loop – Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Moon – Nathan Parker
Nowhere Boy – Matt Greenhalgh
Should win: Nick Hornby
Hornby’s screenplay was smart, sensitive and, most impressively, added a sense of something genuinely new to one of the most over-analysed decades in recent British history.
Will win: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
The Thick of It crew are, quite rightly, media darlings for their sharp and scabrous satire. No one can be too upset if they take the prize.
Stop it at all costs: Matt Greenhalgh
If only for the line, “I’m gonna start a rock ‘n’ roll band!”
Best Actress
Abbie Cornish – Bright Star
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
Katie Jarvis – Fish Tank
Sophie Okonedo – Skin
Should win: Carey Mulligan
She is amazing in An Education. Repeat: amazing.
Will win: Katie Jarvis
With Mulligan’s Hollywood career basically in the bag, the jury might sneak this one to first-timer Katie Jarvis who’s been cleaning up elsewhere.
Stop it at all costs: Abbie Cornish
This is just being vindictive because we don’t like the film.
Best Actor
Aaron Johnson – Nowhere Boy
Andy Serkis – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Peter Capaldi – In The Loop
Sam Rockwell – Moon
Tom Hardy – Bronson
Should win: Tom Hardy
Because his performance in Bronson is visceral and unique and extraordinary, and not enough people saw it first time round. Andy Serkis is great in the Ian Dury biopic, but it seems a bit premature as the film isn’t out for a few months yet.
Will win: Peter Capaldi
This is a tough call, but Capaldi might nick it on the strength of the goodwill people feel towards his era defining portrayal of Malcolm Tucker.
Stop it at all costs: Sam Rockwell
Chauvinism. Nothing more.
Best Foreign Film
Il Divo
The Hurt Locker
Let The Right One In
Sin Nombre
The Wrestler
Should win: Let The Right One In
Genre re-defining work from the Swedish vampire team. One of the films of the year.
Will win: The Hurt Locker
See below.
Stop it at all costs: The Hurt Locker
It’s not very good, is it? Admit it. It’s a bit boring and it’s about a colonialist occupying power defeating an insurgency, which is about like supporting the Germans in a World War II film.
Admittedly, we’ve skipped over a few awards here, but we should be bringing you a full report from the event on December 6 so we’ll see how our predictions fare. What do you guys think?
