The 2024 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) nominations were revealed Tuesday morning by Mia McKenna-Bruce (How To Have Sex) and Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane) at One Hundred Shoreditch in London. Kneecap, the Irish hip-hop comedy featuring Michael Fassbender, and Love Lies Bleeding with Kristen Stewart lead the change, followed by The Outrun with Saoirse Ronan, as well as Andrea Arnold’s Bird with Barry Keoghan, queer romance Unicorns, and Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming A Guinea Fowl.
In the performance categories, big-name nominees include Saoirse Ronan, Barry Keoghan, Kristen Stewart, Alicia Vikander, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Elliot Page, and Jack O’Connell.
In the best international feature category, Sean Baker’s Anora will compete with Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed Of The Sacred Fig.
The organization said, “Celebrating remarkable films and outstanding talent from the British film industry and beyond, this year’s list highlights the U.K.’s brightest new talent alongside BIFA heroes such as Andrea Arnold, Rose Glass, Rungano Nyoni, Saoirse Ronan, Jack O’Connell, Barry Keoghan and Hayley Squires.”
Leading the nominations with 14 is Kneecap, Rich Peppiatt’s comedy following the West Belfast hip-hop trio of the same name and their mission to save their mother tongue. Among others, it scored nominations for the Best British Independent Film category, Best Director, Best Debut Director, Best Screenplay, along with best debut screenwriter. Kneecap trio Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh are also nominated for the best joint lead performance honor. The movie is also in the running for eight craft awards.
Love Lies Bleeding by director Rose Glass, who won the 2020 BIFA for Saint Maud, received 12 nominations overall. Nominations include Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, as well as Best Joint Lead Performance for stars Katy O’Brian and Stewart, along with eight craft nominations.
Based on Amy Liptrot’s best-selling novel of self-discovery and sobriety in the wilds of Orkney, Nora Fingsheidt’s The Outrun earned nine nominations in categories such as best British independent film, best director, best screenplay, best cinematography, best editing, and best lead performance for BIFA veteran Ronan, who won best actress in 2015 for her role in Brooklyn.
Andrew Haigh’s gay romance All of Us Strangers took home the lion’s share of the honors at the 2023 BIFAs. This year’s ceremony will take place at the Roundhouse in Camden, London on Dec. 8.
Check out the full list of 2024 BIFA nominations here.