British Independent Film Awards: Aleem Khan’s ‘After Love’ Rules With 6 Wins, Including Best Film

'Ali & Ava,' 'Boiling Point' and 'Flee' were also among the winners at the in-person event in London.

Aleem Khan’s directorial debut, After Love, was the standout performer at this year’s British Independent Film Awards.

The film — about a widowed Muslim convert who uncovers the secret life led by her late husband — landed six awards at Sunday night’s ceremony, including the top honor of best British independent film. After Love also won best director, best debut director and best screenplay for Khan; best actress for Joanna Scanlan; and best supporting actor for Talid Ariss.

People Just Do Nothing co-creator and star Asim Chaudhry hosted the festivities, which saw the BIFAs return to an in-person event at their traditional home of Old Billingsgate in London. The pandemic saw BIFA livestream the 2020 awards in February this year.

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Elsewhere on the night, Adeel Akhtar was named best actor for Clio Barnard’s story of forbidden love, Ali & Ava, while Vinette Robinson won best supporting actress for Philip Barantini’s single-take restaurant drama, Boiling Point.

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Boiling Point, which also won three other awards, went into the night with the highest number of nominations, tying with Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast with 11 nods each.

As previously announced, Riz Ahmed was presented with this year’s Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.

See the full list of winners, below:

Best British Independent Film
After Love (WINNER)
Ali & Ava
Boiling Point
The Nest
The Souvenir Part II

Best Director
Aleem Khan, After Love (WINNER)
Philip Barantini, Boiling Point
Clio Barnard, Ali & Ava
Sean Durkin, The Nest
Joanna Hogg, The Souvenir Part II

Best Actress
Joanna Scanlan, After Love (WINNER)
Caitríona Balfe, Belfast
Carrie Coon, The Nest
Claire Rushbrook, Ali & Ava
Ruth Wilson, True Things

Best Actor
Adeel Akhtar, Ali & Ava (WINNER)
Riz Ahmed, Encounter
Stephen Graham, Boiling Point
Jude Law, The Nest
James Norton, Nowhere Special

Best Supporting Actress
Vinette Robinson, Boiling Point (WINNER)
Judi Dench, Belfast
Jo Hartley, Sweetheart
Nathalie Richard, After Love
Tilda Swinton, The Souvenir Part II

Best Supporting Actor
Talid Ariss, After Love (WINNER)
Richard Ayoade, The Souvenir Part II
Lucian-River Chauhan, Encounter
Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
Ray Panthaki, Boiling Point

Breakthrough Performance
Nell Barlow, Sweetheart (WINNER)
Lauryn Ajufo, Boiling Point
Max Harwood, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Jude Hill, Belfast
Ellora Torchia, In the Earth

The Douglas Hickox Award 
(Best Debut Director)
Aleem Khan, After Love (WINNER)
Prano Bailey-Bond, Censor
Celeste Bell, Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché [Also Directed By Paul Sng]
Cathy Brady, Wildfire
Marley Morrison, Sweetheart

Best Screenplay
Aleem Khan, After Love (WINNER)
Clio Barnard, Ali & Ava
Terence Davies, Benediction
Sean Durkin, The Nest
Joanna Hogg, The Souvenir Part II

Breakthrough Producer
Michelle Antoniades, Sweetheart (WINNER)
Helen Jones, Censor
Jessica Malik, She Will [Also Produced By Bob Last]
Hester Ruoff, Boiling Point [Also Produced By Bart Ruspoli]
Rob Watson, The Power [Also Produced By Matthew James Wilkinson]

Best Debut Screenwriter
Cathy Brady, Wildfire (WINNER)
Prano Bailey-Bond, Censor [Also Written By Anthony Fletcher]
Aleem Khan, After Love
Marley Morrison, Sweetheart
Reggie Yates, Pirates

The Raindance Discovery Award
Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché, Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Zoë Howe, Rebecca Mark-Lawson, Matthew Silverman, Daria Nitsche (WINNER)
Bank, Job Daniel Edelstyn, Hilary Powell, Christopher Hird
The Bike Thief, Matt Chambers, Pk Fellowes, Sophia Gibber, Lene Bausager
I Am Belmaya, Sue Carpenter, Christopher Hird
Rebel Dykes, Harri Shanahan, Siân A. Williams, Siobhan Fahey

Best British Short Film
Femme (WINNER)
Egúngún
(Masquerade)
Night Of The Living Dread
Play It Safe
Precious Hair & Beauty

Best International Independent Film
Flee (WINNER)
Compartment No. 6
First Cow

Petite Maman
Pleasure

Best Casting
Carolyn Mcleod, Boiling Point (WINNER)
Shaheen Baig, After Love
Shaheen Baig, Ali & Ava
Shaheen Baig, Pirates
Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann, Belfast

Best Cinematography
Matthew Lewis, Boiling Point (WINNER)
Mátyás Erdély, The Nest
Magdalena Kowalczyk, Cow
Annika Summerson, Censor
Haris Zambarloukos, Belfast

Best Costume Design
Grace Snell, The Souvenir Part II (WINNER)
Michael O’Connor, The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain
Guy Speranza, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Annie Symons, Benediction
Charlotte Walter, Belfast

Best Music
Connie Farr, Harry Escott, Ali & Ava (WINNER)
Iain Cooke, Pirates
Jed Kurzel, Encounter
Clint Mansell, In The Earth
Van Morrison, Belfast

Best Effects
Steven Bray, Mike Knights, Dashcam (WINNER)
Gary Brown, István Molnár, Dan Martin, Censor
Rupert Davies, The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain

Best Editing
Helle Le Fevre, The Souvenir Part II (WINNER)
Rebecca Lloyd, Jacob Schulsinger, Nicolas Chaudeurge, Cow
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, Belfast
Mark Towns, Censor
Ben Wheatley, In The Earth

Best Make-Up & Hair
Vickie Lang, Kristyan Mallett, Donald Mcinnes, The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain (WINNER)
Siobhan Harper-Ryan, The Souvenir Part II
Ruth Pease, Censor
Nadia Stacey, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Wakana Yoshihara, Belfast

Best Production Design
Stéphane Collonge, The Souvenir Part II (WINNER)
Jim Clay, Belfast
Suzie Davies, The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain
Aimee Meek, Boiling Point
Paulina Rzeszowska, Censor

Best Sound
James Drake, Rob Entwistle, Kiff McManus  Boiling Point (WINNER)
Nicolas Becker, Cyril Holtz, Linda Forsen, Cow
Tim Harrison, Jamie Roden, Adele Fletcher, Censor
Martin Pavey, In The Earth
Andrew Stirk, Paul Davies, Morgan Muse, Bernard O’reilly, Julian Howarth, Encounter