The first of the season’s big film awards – the BIFAs – have just announced their nominations, with nods going to heat favourites including Keira Knightley, Colin Farrell and the young stars of Son Of Rambow. Unlike the BAFTAs, which are international in scope, the British Independent Film Awards exclusively celebrate British film, and this year the big winners are Hunger and In Bruges (seven nominations each), Danny Boyle’s next feature Slumdog Millionaire and low-budget Essex buddy flick Shifty. We caught Shifty at the London Film Festival last Friday and it’s ace; the film’s two lead actors, Riz Ahmed and Daniel Mays, are both nominated for BIFA awards. Riz Ahmed faces competition for Best Actor from Irish hunk Farrell, plus Michael Fassbender, who was born in Germany but grew up in Ireland. Fassbender is definitely a name to watch, having appeared in 300 and recent Brit horror Eden Lake. He’s the star of excellent new film Hunger, out next Friday (31 October), playing hunger-striking Irish prisoner Bobby Sands. The BIFAs will be handed out on 30 November, in a ceremony hosted by James Nesbitt. Key categories as follows:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM
Hunger
In Bruges
Man On Wire
Slumdog Millionaire
Somers Town
 
BEST DIRECTOR
Mark Herman – The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas
Steve McQueen – Hunger
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Shane Meadows – Somers Town
Garth Jennings – Son of Rambow
 
BEST ACTOR
Michael Fassbender – Hunger
Colin Farrell – In Bruges
Brendan Gleeson – In Bruges
Riz Ahmed – Shifty
Thomas Turgoose – Somers Town
 
BEST ACTRESS
Vera Farmiga – The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas
Samantha Morton – The Daisy Chain
Keira Knightley  – The Duchess
Kelly Reilly – Eden Lake
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
 
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emma Thompson – Brideshead Revisited
Hayley Atwell – The Duchess
Kristin Scott Thomas – Easy Virtue
Sienna Miller – The Edge Of Love
Alexis Zegerman – Happy-Go-Lucky
 
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ralph Fiennes – The Duchess
Eddie Marsan – Happy-Go-Lucky
Liam Cunningham – Hunger
Ralph Fiennes – In Bruges
Daniel Mays – Shifty
 
MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
Asa Butterfield – The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas 
Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionaire
Ayush Mahesh Khedekar – Slumdog Millionaire
Bill Milner – Son Of Rambow
Will Poulter – Son Of Rambow