British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) 2025: Complete winners list explored

The British Independent Film Awards took place on November 30. This year’s award categories were dominated by Harry Lighton’s romance movie Pillion. Besides, other works like Warfare, Wasteman, A Want In Her, Die My Love, and more films bagged awards across different categories of British Independent Film Awards.

The British Independent Film Awards debuted in 1998. It was established to honor the finest in independently funded British films. From filmmakers like Andrea Arnold and Steve McQueen to actresses like Olivia Colman and Daniel Kaluuya, the awards have many times recognized promising newcomers. Many of these people go on to gain global recognition.

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Pillion, Warfare, and more films won across different categories at British Independent Film Awards

Here’s the complete rundown of winners at the British Independent Film Awards:

Best British Independent Film

• Pillion

Best British Short Film

• Magid / Zafar

Best Casting

• Lauren Evans, I Swear

Best Cinematography

• Seamus McGarvey, Die My Love

Best Costume Design

• Grace Snell, Pillion

Best Debut Screenwriter

• Harry Lighton, Pillion

Best Debut Director

• Cal McMau, Wasteman

Best Debut Director – Feature Documentary

• Myrid Carten, A Want in Her

Best Director

• Akinola Davies Jr., My Father’s Shadow

Best Editing

• Fin Oates, Warfare

Best Effects

• Simon Stanley-Clamp and Ryan Conder, Warfare

Best Ensemble Performance

• Joseph Quinn, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Finn Bennett, Charles Melton, and Kit Connor, Warfare

Best Feature Documentary

• A Want in Her

Best International Independent Film

• Sentimental Value

Best Joint Lead

• Tom Basden and Tim Key, The Ballad of Wallis Island

Best Lead Performance

• Robert Aramayo, I Swear

Best Breakthrough Performance

• Posy Sterling, Lollipop

Best Breakthrough Producer

• Dhiraj Mahey, Ish

Best Make-Up and Hair Design

• Diandra Ferreira, Pillion

Best Music Supervision

• Raife Burchell and Ian Neil, Die My Love

Best Original Music

• Tom Basden and Adem Ilhan, The Ballad of Wallis Island

Best Production Design

• Nathan Parker, Harvest

Best Screenplay

• Tom Basden and Tim Key, The Ballad of Wallis Island

Best Sound

• Glenn Freemantle, Mitch Low, Howard Bargroff, Ben Barker and Richard Spooner, Warfare

Best Supporting Performance

• Jay Lycurgo, Steve

The Raindance Maverick Award

• Myrid Carten, A Want in Her

Special Jury Prize

• Warp Films

BIFA Cinema of the Year Award

• The Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn

Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film

• Emily Watson

This year’s BIFAs were held at the Roundhouse in London.

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