Aleem Khan’s After Love was the big winner at the 2021 British Independent Film Awards winning six awards including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Debut Director and Best Screenplay for Aleem Khan along with Best Actress for Joanna Scanlan and Best Supporting Actor for Talid Ariss.

Other winning films include Philip Barantini’s Boiling Point won four awards; Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II won three awards; Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché won Best Documentary along with The Discovery Award; and Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee won Best International Independent Film.

In addition, Riz Ahmed received the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film by an Actor.

Winners of the 2021 British Independent Film Awards

Best British Independent Film
After Love – Aleem Khan, Matthieu De Braconier

Best Director
Aleem Khan – After Love

Best Screenplay
Aleem Khan – After Love

Best Actress
Joanna Scanlan – After Love

Best Actor
Adeel Akhtar – Ali & Ava

Best Supporting Actress
Vinette Robinson – Boiling Point

Best Supporting Actor
Talid Ariss – After Love

The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director
Aleem Khan – After Love

Breakthrough Producer
Michelle Antoniades – Sweetheart

Breakthrough Performance
Nell Barlow – Sweetheart

Best Debut Screenwriter
Cathy Brady – Wildfire

Best Documentary
Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché – Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Zoë Howe, Rebecca Mark-Lawson, Matthew Silverman, Daria Nitsche

The Discovery Award
Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché – Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Zoë Howe, Rebecca Mark-Lawson, Matthew Silverman, Daria Nitsche

Best British Short Film
Femme – Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping, Sam Riztenberg, Hayley Williams, Rienjke Attoh

Best International Independent Film
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Amin Nawabi, Monica Hellstrøm, Signe Byrge Sørensen

Best Casting
Carolyn Mcleod – Boiling Point –

Best Cinematography
Matthew Lewis – Boiling Point

Best Costume Design
Grace Snell – The Souvenir Part II

Best Editing
Helle Le Fevre – The Souvenir Part II

Best Music
Connie Farr, Harry Escott – Ali & Ava

Best Make-Up & Hair
Vickie Lang, Kristyan Mallett, Donald McInnes – The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain

Best Effects
Steven Bray, Mike Knights – DASHCAM

Best Production Design
Stéphane Collonge – The Souvenir Part II

Best Sound
James Drake – Boiling Point