BIFA’s jury is comprised of professionals and talent from across the British film industry including: Actress Jodie Whittaker, Actors Idris Elba, Liam Cunningham, Eddie Marsan and Peter Mullan, Directors Sarah Gavron and Eran Creevy, Producers Dixie Linder, Anita Overland and Adrian Sturges, Documentary Filmmaker Kate Blewett, Film Marketing Consultant Robert Mitchell, Projectionist Paul Speed and Head of Distribution and Exhibition at The UK Film Council Peter Buckingham.

Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, BIFA co-directors say: "No single film dominates the Awards this year, reminding us of the high quality and variety of talent on offer in the UK. And if we can be celebrating so much good work in a year that is said to be difficult, there is a lot to shout about."

Elliot Grove, founder of Raindance and the British Independent Film Awards says: "The nominees and winners this year prove again the wealth of fresh and diverse filmmaking talent that distinguishes British independent filmmaking."

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council says: "These awards have underlined both the current strength of British filmmaking talent and the crucial importance of public investment in creative excellence.

"Great British success stories such as Fish Tank, Moon, In the Loop and Nowhere Boy have been entertaining critics and audiences throughout 2009 - and for films produced and developed by the UK Film Council to have scooped six top awards, in addition to the three awards for films we supported in distribution, is not only really well deserved but also a good sign for further recognition of British filmmaking as we enter the awards season in 2010."

"Over their 12 years, the BIFAs have championed British independent film excellence and originality, and the UK Film Council remains a proud partner."

The 12th awards ceremony has taken place on Sunday 6 December at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, in London and was hosted by James Nesbitt.

BIFA are proud to announce the following nominees for this year’s awards.
Winners are denoted by an asterisk:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
An Education
Fish Tank
In The Loop
* Moon
Nowhere Boy

BEST DIRECTOR
Sponsored by The Creative Partnership
* Andrea Arnold – Fish Tank
Armando Iannucci – In The Loop
Duncan Jones – Moon
Jane Campion – Bright Star
Lone Scherfig – An Education

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]
Armando Iannucci – In The Loop
* Duncan Jones – Moon
Peter Strickland – Katalin Varga
Sam Taylor Wood – Nowhere Boy
Samantha Morton – The Unloved

BEST SCREENPLAY
Sponsored by BBC Films
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

BEST ACTRESS
Sponsored by M.A.C
Abbie Cornish – Bright Star
* Carey Mulligan – An Education
Emily Blunt – The Young Victoria
Katie Jarvis – Fish Tank
Sophie Okonedo – Skin

BEST ACTOR
Sponsored by Stolichnaya Elit
Aaron Johnson – Nowhere Boy
Andy Serkis – Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Peter Capaldi – In The Loop
Sam Rockwell – Moon
* Tom Hardy – Bronson

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
* Anne-Marie Duff – Nowhere Boy
Kerry Fox – Bright Star
Kierston Wareing – Fish Tank
Kristin Scott Thomas – Nowhere Boy
Rosamund Pike – An Education

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sponsored by Stolichnaya
Alfred Molina – An Education
Jim Broadbent – The Damned United
* John Henshaw – Looking for Eric
Michael Fassbender – Fish Tank
Tom Hollander – In The Loop

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Christian McKay – Me & Orson Welles
Edward Hogg – White Lightnin’
George MacKay – The Boys Are Back
Hilda Péter – Katalin Varga
* Katie Jarvis – Fish Tank

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Bronson
* Bunny & The Bull
The Hide
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Katalin Varga

RAINDANCE AWARD
Sponsored by Raindance
Colin
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
* Down Terrace
Exam
They Call It Acid

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios
* Bright Star – Cinematography – Greig Fraser
Bunny & The Bull – Production Design – Gary Williamson
Fish Tank – Cinematography – Robbie Ryan
Moon – Original Score – Clint Mansell
Moon – Production Design – Tony Noble

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sponsored by Chapter Media
The Age of Stupid
The End of The Line
* Mugabe and The White African
Sons of Cuba
Sounds Like Teen Spirit

BEST BRITISH SHORT
Christmas with Dad
Leaving
* Love You More
Sidney Turtlebaum
Washdays

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Il Divo
The Hurt Locker
* Let The Right One In
Sin Nombre
The Wrestler

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for outstanding contribution to British Film)
Daniel Day Lewis

THE VARIETY AWARD
Sir Michael Caine

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Baz Bamigboye

Sponsored by The UK Film Council
Proud supporters and patrons of BIFA include Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Helen Mirren, Samantha Morton, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Trudie Styler, Tilda Swinton, Meera Syal, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Michael Winterbottom.

BIFA would like to thank its Sponsors: The UK Film Council, 3 Mills Studios, BBC Films, Chapter Media, The Creative Partnership, M.A.C, Raindance, Soho House, Stolichnaya, Variety.

For further press information, contact Elizabeth Benjamin or Zoe Flower at Emfoundation: elizabeth@emfoundation.com / zoe@emfoundation.com / 020 7247 4171

For further information on BIFA, visit www.bifa.org.uk

BIFA was created by Raindance in 1998.