All of Us Strangers was the big winner at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) on Sunday night.
? Andrew Haigh's poignant LGBTQ+ drama won seven prizes in total, including the night's biggest prize, Best British Independent Film.
The movie also won Best Director and Best Screenplay for Haigh, Best Supporting Performance for Paul Mescal, and a bunch of craft categories.
Relative newcomer Mia McKenna-Bruce beat the likes of Jodie Comer and Andrew Scott to collect Best Lead Performance for How to Have Sex, and she told Cover Media backstage that she was stunned by her win.
"I mean, the only reason that I clocked it was my name (being called out) was because the How to Have Sex table stood up. I was like, 'Oh, me? What?' I didn't even contemplate that that could possibly be a thing," she admitted. "I have no idea what I said. I'm a bit concerned."
Noting that her co-star Shaun Thomas won Best Supporting Performance too, she added, "There aren't any words, it's like every Christmas rolled into one."
Elsewhere in the ceremony, Anatomy of a Fall was named Best International Independent Film, Vivian Oparah scored Breakthrough Performance for Rye Lane, and George MacKay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett took home Best Joint Lead Performance for Femme.
Reflecting on the rarity of the joint lead category, Stewart-Jarrett told reporters backstage, "You do work in tandem so much with an actor (so) it feels nice to do it together," and MacKay added, "It was a very mutual experience, the making of the film, so it feels lovely this award reflects that."
Meanwhile, Stephen Graham followed in the footsteps of Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave and Daniel Day-Lewis by being honoured with The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film.
He told reporters backstage that the honour "is right up the top" of his awards collection.
"To be acknowledged by your peers like that is unbelievable, it really is. I'm extremely overwhelmed. It's next level really," he stated.
The 2023 BIFAs were held at Old Billingsgate in London.
Here are the main list of winners:
Best British Independent Film: All of Us Strangers
Best International Independent Film: Anatomy of a Fall
The Richard Harris Award: Stephen Graham
Best Lead Performance: Mia McKenna-Bruce, How to Have Sex
Best Joint Lead Performance: George MacKay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Femme
Best Supporting Performance: Paul Mescal, All of Us Strangers AND Shaun Thomas, How to Have Sex
Breakthrough Performance: Vivian Oparah, Rye Lane
Best Director: Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers
Best Screenplay: Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director): Savanah Leaf, Earth Mama
Best Debut Screenwriter: Nida Manzoor, Polite Society
Breakthrough Producer: Theo Barrowclough, Scrapper
Best Debut Director - Feature Documentary: Chloe Abrahams, The Taste of Mango
The Raindance Maverick Award: If the Streets Were on Fire
Best Feature Documentary: If the Streets Were on Fire
Best British Short Film: Festival of Slaps.
