Andrew Scott's Elsinore leads BIFA nominations with 12, while I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning has 8

Elsinore leads the nominations

Elsinore has emerged as the front-runner at the 2026 British Independent Film Awards with 12 nominations. Simon Stone directed the film, which is in contention for best British independent film, best director, best screenplay and best lead performance for Andrew Scott, while Billie Piper is nominated for best supporting performance. The biographical drama centres on Ian Charleson, the Scottish actor who died of Aids in 1990, as he readied himself to take on Hamlet at London's National Theatre during the last months of his life. The film has drawn strong reviews since its premiere, and Scott is already being tipped as a favourite for the best actor Oscar.

Clio Barnard and Ashley Walters lead the chasing pack

Clio Barnard's Birmingham-set ensemble drama I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning is second with eight nominations, including best British independent film, best director for Barnard and best ensemble performance for its main cast. The film follows five childhood friends who face unfulfilled dreams during the UK housing crisis, and it won the Un Certain Regard People's Choice Award at the Cannes Film Festival. It will be released in the UK and Ireland on 4 December. Ashley Walters' feature directing debut Animol follows with seven nominations, including best lead performance for Tut Nyuot and best debut director for Walters. The film centres on two teenagers held in a young offender institution, with Stephen Graham and Sharon Duncan-Brewster also in the cast.

Elsinore12

I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning8

Animol7

Effi o Blaenau6

Queen at Sea6

Tender Loving Care4

Elsinore

12 nominations

I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning

8 nominations

Animol

7 nominations

Effi o Blaenau

6 nominations

Queen at Sea

6 nominations

Tender Loving Care

4 nominations

Data from the article text

The Welsh-language film Effi o Blaenau and Queen at Sea each received six nominations. Leisa Gwenllian is nominated in the lead performance category for Effi o Blaenau, while Juliette Binoche is nominated in the same category for Queen at Sea. Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care has four nominations, including best director, and Leigh has said it is most likely his last film.

BBC Film's four backed films

Four films backed by BBC Film have received 20 nominations between them. FLORID, written and directed by Billy Lumby, has five, including the Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director and the lead and breakthrough performance categories for Jonathan Jules, who is in his first leading feature film role. Oscar Hudson's Straight Circle has five craft nominations, covering cinematography, costume design, editing, make-up and hair design and production design. Black Church Bay earned nominations for writer and director Rhys Marc Jones in the best debut screenwriter category and for Alex Polunin in the breakthrough producer category. Eva Yates, Director of BBC Film, responded to the nominations with a statement of congratulations.

“Congratulations to all the films and filmmakers nominated for a British Independent Film Award today.”

Ceremony, release dates and Irish interest

Winners will be announced at the Camden Roundhouse in London on Sunday, 6 December. The nominations were announced by previous winners Jay Lycurgo and Posy Sterling. Irish interest on the shortlist includes Enda Walsh for best screenplay on I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, Clare Dunne in the best joint lead performance category for The Education of Jane Cumming, and Ciara Barry as producer of the documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street. Elsinore opens in Irish cinemas on Friday, 29 January 2027, and is tipped to be among next year's Oscar nominees in several categories. The key dates for the nominated films run from the UK and Irish release of Barnard's film in December to the Irish opening of Elsinore at the start of next year.