Slumdog scoops Indie film awards

Slumdog Millionaire sees a young boy enter Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

A movie about a poor Indian boy who wins a game show fortune has taken three prizes, including best film, at the British Independent Film Awards.

Slumdog Millionaire, which is not out in the UK until January, also won best director for Danny Boyle and best newcomer for 18-year-old Dev Patel.

Political drama Hunger also took three prizes, with Michael Fassbender named best actor for playing Bobby Sands.

Harry Potter star David Thewlis picked up an outstanding contribution prize.

The 45-year-old, who plays Remus Lupin in the wizarding franchise, is also known for his roles in Mike Leigh’s Naked and Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven. His co-star in concentration camp drama The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, Vera Farmiga, took home the best actress award from the London ceremony. Hitman comedy In Bruges, which had received seven nominations, only picked up one trophy – for best screenplay.

Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky, the tale of a North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her, scooped two prizes.

Eddie Marsan took best supporting actor for his role as Scott, a driving instructor with rage issues. Alexis Zegerman was named best supporting actress as the heroine’s long-suffering flatmate, Zoe.

Michael Sheen, who plays David Frost in the film adaptation of Frost/Nixon, was honoured with the Variety Award for bringing global recognition to the British film industry.

Best foreign film went to political animation Waltz With Bashir,

However, two of the ceremony’s highest-profile nominees, Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes failed to win awards.

Knightley had received a best actress nod for her role in The Duchess, while Fiennes, who is currently appearing at the National Theatre in Oedipus, was up for best supporting actor in both The Duchess and In Bruges.

This year’s jury included Atonement director Joe Wright, photographer Rankin and the actress Anne Marie Duff.

Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, co-directors of the awards said it had been a “stellar year” for independent film in Britain.

The prizes for Slumdog Millionaire will almost certainly boost Oscar buzz for the film, which has already won the influential People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival.

Tags: e, Entertainment