2015 MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS - 4 prizes for Ex Machina!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2015 MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS  Ex Machina wins four, including Best British Independent Film Saoirse Ronan, Tom Hardy, Olivia Colman and Brendan Gleeson all win Room named Best International Independent Film

Winners in bold! London, Sunday 6 December: Ex Machina was the big winner at the Moët British Independent Film Awards this evening. The film won four awards: Best British Independent Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Alex Garland and Outstanding Achievement in Craft for its Visual Effects, by Andrew Whitehurst. The film will be screened in 74 cinemas across the country on Sunday 13 December as part of a landmark BIFA screening series supported by the BFI. Tickets can be booked at discover.bifa.film Performance awards were spread across the board: Saoirse Ronan picked up Best Actress for Brooklyn and Tom Hardy won Best Actor for his dual role as Ronnie and Reggie Kray in Legend. Olivia Colman won her third BIFA for her Best Supporting Actress performance in The Lobster. Brendan Gleeson made it two years in a row, winning Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette this year after taking away Best Actor for Calvary last year. Colin Farrell presented the Most Promising Newcomer award to Abigail Hardingham for her breakthrough performance in Nina Forever. The Special Jury Prize was presented to Chris Collins, the BFI executive who died late last year. Director of the BFI Lottery Film Fund Ben Roberts said, “This is a really wonderful tribute to Chris. He is greatly missed, but his contribution to so many films and filmmakers continues to burn brightly. A heartfelt thanks to the BIFA jury.” In the closely-fought Best Documentary category, Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance won out over Amy, How to Change the World, Palio and A Syrian Love Story. Room was named Best International Independent Film and Jacob Tremblay, the young star of the film, collected the award with the team.  The team behind Kajaki: The True Story took home Producer of the Year and Stephen Fingleton was named Best Debut Director for The Survivalist. The award is presented in honour of director Douglas Hickox. Edmond won Best Short and The Discovery Award went to Orion: The Man Who Would Be King. The 18th BIFA ceremony, which was hosted by Richard Ayoade, was held at Old Billingsgate in London and live streamed on www.bifa.film. Highlights are available on that website.  Laurence Green, chairman of the BIFA Board, said, “As part of our mission to build the widest audience we can for British independent film, it is BIFA's great honour to celebrate the cream of the crop once a year at the Moët British Independent Film Awards. This year's winners speak volumes, not just for their excellence but also for the undimmed ambition and beautiful diversity of the stories they tell.” Julie Nollet, Marketing & Communications Director at Moët Hennessy UK Ltd, commented “As a longtime supporter of British film, Moët & Chandon is delighted to celebrate tonight's very well deserved winners, including Ex Machina for Best British Independent Film – sponsored by Moët & Chandon. Guests joined us in pouring Moët & Chandon Champagne into a giant Champagne pyramid to toast a year of amazing film achievements."   As previously announced, the Variety Award, which recognises a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK, was presented to Kate Winslet. The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film was presented to Chiwetel Ejiofor.    For Further Information: About the Moët British Independent Film Awards, contact Organic Becky Palmer becky.palmer@organic-publicity.co.uk 020 3372 0973 Caragh Cook caragh.cook@organic-publicity.co.uk 020 3372 0986 About Moët & Chandon:  Anna Budel abudel@mhuk.co.uk 020 7808 4458 About The Moët BIFAs The Moët British Independent Film Awards highlight and reward the best, most innovative and creative independent filmmaking and filmmakers in the UK. We identify and encourage emerging talent, support and celebrate the independent film community and promote British film and talent to the public. Proud patrons of the British Independent Film Awards include Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Helen Mirren, Samantha Morton, James Nesbitt, Michael Sheen, Trudie Styler, Tilda Swinton, Meera Syal, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Michael Winterbottom. Now in its 18th year, the Awards were founded by Elliot Grove and Suzanne Ballantyne in 1998, who also founded the Raindance Film Festival in 1993. Previous winners of the prestigious Best British Independent Film Award include Pride, Metro Manila, Tyrannosaur, The King’s Speech, Moon, Control, Slumdog Millionaire, The Constant Gardener and This Is England.   For more about the Moët BIFAs, visit www.bifa.film About Moët & Chandon Moët & Chandon, the champagne of success and glamour since 1743. Renowned for its legendary style, achievements and pioneering spirit, Moët & Chandon is the Maison that introduced champagne to the world. Synonymous with the most venerable traditions and the most modern celebrations, Moët & Chandon has celebrated life’s memorable and triumphant moments with panache for more than 270 years. For Moët & Chandon, success is a matter of style.   The Champagne of Cinema   For nearly a century, Moët & Chandon has celebrated the glamour and the red carpet moments of international cinema. Effervescent and effortlessly chic, Moët & Chandon and the movies are like a Hollywood glamorous couple. The Maison is a strong and long-time supporter of film awards and ceremonies, such as the Golden Globe Awards and the International Film Festivals in Venice and Locarno. Moët & Chandon, an elegant toast to the art of cinema.   For further information on Moët & Chandon, visit http://moet.com   Award partners  Moët & Chandon, 3 Mills Studios, BBC Films, The London EDITION, MAC, Movado, Swarovski, Variety Industry partners All City, RSM, Intermission, Soho House, Wiggin   Created by Raindance   2015 MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS WINNERS Best British Independent Film sponsored by Moët & Chandon 45 YEARS Tristan Goligher, Andrew Haigh AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia EX MACHINA Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Alex Garland THE LOBSTER Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos MACBETH Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Laura Hastings-Smith, Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie, Justin Kurzel   Best Director 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh AMY Asif Kapadia EX MACHINA Alex Garland THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos MACBETH Justin Kurzel   Best Screenplay sponsored by BBC Films 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh BROOKLYN Nick Hornby EX MACHINA Alex Garland HIGH-RISE Amy Jump THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou   Best Actress sponsored by MAC MARION COTILLARD Macbeth CAREY MULLIGAN Suffragette CHARLOTTE RAMPLING 45 Years SAOIRSE RONAN Brooklyn ALICIA VIKANDER The Danish Girl   Best Actor sponsored by Movado TOM COURTENAY 45 Years COLIN FARRELL The Lobster MICHAEL FASSBENDER Macbeth TOM HARDY Legend TOM HIDDLESTON High-Rise   Best Supporting Actress HELENA BONHAM CARTER Suffragette OLIVIA COLMAN The Lobster ANNE-MARIE DUFF Suffragette SIENNA MILLER High-Rise JULIE WALTERS Brooklyn   Best Supporting Actor LUKE EVANS High-Rise BRENDAN GLEESON Suffragette DOMHNALL GLEESON Brooklyn SEAN HARRIS Macbeth BEN WHISHAW The Lobster   Most Promising Newcomer sponsored by The London Edition AGYNESS DEYN Sunset Song MIA GOTH The Survivalist ABIGAIL HARDINGHAM Nina Forever MILO PARKER Mr Holmes BEL POWLEY A Royal Night Out   The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) sponsored by 3 Mills Studios THE HALLOW Corin Hardy KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY Paul Katis NINA FOREVER Chris & Ben Blaine SLOW WEST John Maclean THE SURVIVALIST Stephen Fingleton   The Discovery Award sponsored by Raindance AAAAAAAAH! Andrew Starke, Steve Oram BURN BURN BURN Daniel-Konrad Cooper, Tim Phillips, Charlie Covell, Chanya Button ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING Jeanie Finlay THE RETURN Oliver Nias WINTER Tilly Wood, Paula Crickard, Heidi Greensmith   Best Documentary AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia DARK HORSE: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF DREAM ALLIANCE Judith Dawson, Louise Osmond HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD Bous De Jong, Al Morrow, Jerry Rothwell PALIO James Gay-Rees, John Hunt, Cosima Spender A SYRIAN LOVE STORY Elhum Shakerifar, Sean McAllister   Producer of the Year TRISTAN GOLIGHER 45 Years JAMES GAY-REES Amy PAUL KATIS, ANDREW DE LOTBINIERE Kajaki: The True Story CECI DEMPSEY, ED GUINEY, YORGOS LANTHIMOS, LEE MAGIDAY The Lobster DAVID A HUGHES, DAVID MOORES The Violators   Outstanding Achievement in Craft ADAM ARKAPAW Cinematography – Macbeth MARK DIGBY Production Design – Ex Machina CHRIS KING Editing – Amy FIONA WEIR Casting – Brooklyn ANDREW WHITEHURST Visual Effects, Ex Machina   Best British Short Film BALCONY Tom Kimberley, Ali Mansuri, Toby Fell-Holden CRACK Joseph Taussig, Peter King EDMOND Emilie Jouffroy, Nina Gantz LOVE IS BLIND Lizzie Brown, Dan Hodgson MANoMAN Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, Simon Cartwright   Best International Independent Film CAROL Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley, Christine Vachon, Phyllis Nagy, Todd Haynes FORCE MAJEURE Erik Hemmendorff, Marie Kjellson, Philippe Bober, Ruben Östlund GIRLHOOD Bénédicte Couvreur, Céline Sciamma ROOM Ed Guiney, David Gross, Emma Donoghue, Lenny Abrahamson SON OF SAUL Gábor Sipos, Gábor Rajna, Cara Royer, László Nemes