Awards Watch: British Independent Film Awards

01 December 2008

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Slumdog Millionaire dominated the British Independent Film Awards by scooping three awards including Best British Independent Film.

Slumdog Millionaire lit up Toronto crowds which follows Jamal Malik, an eighteen year old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who is on the verge of winning Who Wants to be A Millionaire? But when the show breaks for the night police arrest him on suspicion of cheating: how could a street kid know so much?

Desperate to prove his innocence Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local groups and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost.

It sees a return to a film of harsh reality for director Danny Boyle, a formula that brought him success with train spotting, as he looks at the brutal way of life of growing up in India. He went on to pick up the Best Director gong, there was also success for the film's young star Dev Patel as he won Most Promising Newcomer.

Also featuring heavily at the awards was Steve McQueen's Hunger which scooped Best Actor for Michael Fassbender's portrayal of Bonny Sands

The film looks at Bobby Sands who was a Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike whilst in HM Prison Maze for the possession of firearms. McQueen's Hunger is set predominately in Maze prison and looks, in intimate detail, at Sands and the hunger strike that he orchestrated and led in 1981.

By Being part of the strike Irish Republican prisoners were seeking to regain Special Category Status, which meant that they would be treated like prisoners of war along with all of it's privileges and not to be classed as criminals.

Vera Farmiga picked up Best Actress for her role in The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas beating off competition from Keira Knightley for her role as The Duchess.

Actor David Thewlis was honoured with the Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution to British film, and Michael Sheen won the Variety award.

List of winners:

Best British independent film: Slumdog Millionaire

Best director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Douglas Hickox prize for best debut director: Steve McQueen, Hunger

Best actor: Michael Fassbender, Hunger

Best actress: Vera Farmiga, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Most promising newcomer: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire

Best supporting actress: Alexis Zegerman (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Best supporting actor: Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky)

Best foreign film: Waltz With Bashir

Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution to British film: David Thewlis