British Independent Film Awards 2025 Shortlist Includes Cillian Murphy, 39 BBC Film Nominations

The 2025 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) have nominated several Irish talents among their contenders, including actor Cillian Murphy for Best Lead Performance for his role in "Steve," and Donegal director Myrid Carten for her documentary "A Want in Her," which received nods for Best Feature Documentary, Best Debut Director, and The Raindance Maverick Award. The drama "My Father's Shadow," directed by Akinola Davies Jr. and produced by Dublin's Element Pictures, leads the nominations with 12 nods, while the romantic comedy "Pillion," also produced by Element Pictures, received 10 nominations. BBC Film-backed projects performed strongly, with ten films earning a total of 39 nominations, highlighting the organization's significant role in developing acclaimed British independent films. Additionally, BIFA introduced its inaugural 'Cinema of the Year' award to honor cinemas that support independent film culture, with voting open to the public ahead of the November 30 awards ceremony. Other notable nominees include Harris Dickinson's "Urchin," Laura Carreira's "On Falling," and sound designer Steve Fanagan for work on "Anemone." The awards celebrate a wide range of categories including directing, screenplay, editing, sound, and breakthrough achievements.