A total of 28 fiction and 14 documentary features have made the longlists in this year’s British Independent Film Awards‘ (BIFA) New Talent categories. This includes a brand-new category this year, in celebration of BIFA’s 25th anniversary: Best Debut Director – Feature Documentary. 11 first-time fiction feature directors, 16 first-time documentary feature directors, 14 first-time writers, 20 breakthrough producers and 15 new performers have been recognised by BIFA voters for their outstanding achievements.
BIFA’s Springboard initiative will once again provide a bespoke programme of ongoing professional development, peer-to-peer support, mentoring, networking and skills development with the goal of nurturing emerging talent as they build on the success of their debut feature films. Applications opened in September, with seven of this year’s longlisted filmmakers joining the cohort of 30 filmmakers on the Film4-supported programme.
The shortlists (final five nominations in each category) will be announced on Friday 4 November with the winners finally revealed at the 25th BIFA ceremony on Sunday 4 December.
For details of how to watch the longlisted films, visit watch.bifa.film.
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) sponsored by BBC Film
RUTH PAXTON A Banquet
CHARLOTTE WELLS Aftersun
GEORGIA OAKLEY Blue Jean
JIM ARCHER Brian and Charles
FRANCES O’CONNOR Emily
LEE HAVEN JONES The Feast
STACEY GREGG Here Before
FRIDTJOF RYDER Inland
THOMAS HARDIMAN Medusa Deluxe
MIKEY MURRAY Mind-Set
ANDREW CUMMING The Origin
Best Debut Screenwriter sponsored by Film4
CHARLOTTE WELLS Aftersun
GEORGIA OAKLEY Blue Jean
DAVID EARL, CHRIS HAYWARD Brian and Charles
CLAIRE PEATE The Colour Room
FRANCES O’CONNOR Emily
ROGER WILLIAMS The Feast
WILLIAM STONE The Fence
SHANE CROWLEY God’s Creatures
STACEY GREGG Here Before
FRIDTJOF RYDER Inland
THOMAS HARDIMAN Medusa Deluxe
RUTH GREENBERG The Origin
MAYSOON PACHACHI Our River…Our Sky
Best Debut Director – Feature Documentary
JOSEPH CURRAN, DOMINIC AUBREY DE VERE A Story of Bones
JAY BEDWANI Donna
MARIE LIDÉN Electric Malady
MATTHEW DYAS Explorer
SARAH BEDDINGTON Fadia’s Tree
BECKY HUTNER Fashion Reimagined
LEAH GORDON, EDDIE HUTTON MILLS Kanaval
JONO MCLEOD My Old School
VICTORIA FIORE Nascondino (Hide And Seek)
KATHRYN FERGUSON Nothing Compares
PETER DAY Off the Rails
ELENA SÁNCHEZ BELLOT, MAIA KENWORTHY Rebellion
MATTHEW BAUER The Other Fellow
Breakthrough Performance sponsored by Netflix
JESSICA ALEXANDER A Banquet
RORY ALEXANDER Inland
PERCELLE ASCOTT I Came By
KÍLA LORD CASSIDY The Wonder
FRANKIE CORIO Aftersun
PHOEBE DYNEVOR The Colour Room
BALLY GILL Allelujah
LUCY HALLIDAY Blue Jean
LUCA HOGAN A Bit of Light
ALEXANDER LINCOLN In from the Side
LEO LONG I Used to Be Famous
ROSY MCEWEN Blue Jean
SAFIA OAKLEY-GREEN The Origin
DAVID PERKINS The Fence
DANIEL WATSON Give Them Wings
Breakthrough Producer sponsored by Pinewood & Shepperton Studios
ALEKSANDRA BILIĆ 8 Bar – The Evolution of Grime (also produced by Jamie Clark, David Upshal)
LEONORA DARBY A Banquet (also produced by Nik Bower, James Harris, Mark Lane, Laure Vaysse)
HÉLÈNE SIFRE Blue Jean
RUPERT MAJENDIE Brian and Charles
BECKY HUTNER, LINDSAY LOWE Fashion Reimagined (also produced by Andrea van Beuren)
ROGER WILLIAMS The Feast
SERENA ARMITAGE Flux Gourmet (also produced by Pietro Greppi)
ELIZABETH EVES The Forgiven (also produced by John Michael McDonagh, Nick Gordon, Trevor Matthews)
COLLIE MCCARTHY I Used to Be Famous
HENRY RICHMOND, LOUIS PAINE, FRIDTJOF RYDER Inland
ALEKSANDRA BILIĆ, JENNIFER CORCORAN Nascondino (Hide and Seek)
PAUL KENNEDY Nightride (also produced by Jon Silk)
TOM MILLER, KATE GLOVER The Phantom of the Open (also produced by Nichola Martin)
BEN PULLEN The Score (also produced by Matthew James Wilkinson)
NADIRA MURRAY Winners (also produced by Paul Welsh)
