“It’s incredibly important for organisations such as BIFA to champion independent filmmaking, because at the heart of what we do – this is what sustains us.” – Letitia Wright

The British Independent Film Awards is a star-studded event, first launched 25 years ago to uphold and uplift independent cinema in the UK. 2022 has been a stellar year for indie cinema, and we’ve been treated to some hard-hitting, visceral pieces of art. Differing from its studio film counterpart – indie film is regarded as a cinematic medium that breaks boundaries, pushing the culture forward. While studio films tend to have ‘cash-grab’ tendencies, independent cinema is more meditative, and reflective of society at large – allowing space for fully-fledged storytelling to unfurl. And so it began, some of the UK’s best and brightest talent were in attendance. While Aftersun starring Normal People’s Paul Mescal swept up a slew of awards, our Winter 2022 coverstar Letitia Wright also got her flowers.

Head below to see our BIFA standout moments…

Aftersun, the directorial debut of Charlotte Wells, is a sun-soaked portrait of a father and daughter’s last holiday together in Turkey. Tender and devastating, it comes as no surprise that it swept up a whopping 7 awards. Amongst others, Aftersun received accolades for ‘Best British Independent Film’, ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Screenplay’, and ‘Best Editing’. After the film’s numerous wins, Paul Mescal joined his Normal People co-star Daisy Edgar Jones on the red carpet, along with his young co-star Frankie Corio – and they were all beaming. As they should!

Our Winter 2022 coverstar, Letitia Wright, is a continuous source of inspiration for us. Her acting chops have been lent to the Black Panther franchise, but she’s also been making waves in the indie scene; get you a girl that can do both. Receiving the award for ‘Best Joint Lead Performance’, she went to collect the prize along with her The Silent Twins co-star Tamara Lawrance. The Silent Twins, directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska, tells the story of a real life pair of twins June and Jennifer Gibbons growing up in Wales. Feeling ostracised, as the only black children in their village, the two of them only communicated with each other – further finding solace in dreaming up stories and plays. We’re glad that such an interesting story is being brought to light through film, and that at long last it’s been given the love it deserves.

Last but not least, the Norwegian director Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person In The World beat out Everything Everywhere All At Once to sweep up the award for ‘Best International Independent Film’. We can’t resist a coming of age story, and The Worst Person In The World has made some serious waves since its release. Perfectly encapsulating the dizzying growing pains that come along with turning into an adult, the film’s protagonist, ‘Julie’, played by Cannes Best Actress winner Renate Reinsve embarks on a journey of self-discovery in Oslo – navigating a maze of relationships, starting a career, and a search for identity. Young adulthood feels like a feat in and of itself, so we’re glad to see that The Worst Person In The World has taken to the global stage.