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Just as “My Beautiful Laundrette” launched a little-known English actor named Daniel Day-Lewis, the London-set “Unicorns” spotlights up-and-coming talent Ben Hardy (whose minor roles in “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “X-Men: Apocalypse” don’t begin to suggest his potential). But “Unicorns” and “Laundrette” have more in common than just a compelling lead performer: Forty years after Stephen Frears’ cross-cultural queer romance, neither homophobia nor xenophobia has much abated in the U.K. That makes it tricky to predict quite where the attraction felt by Luke (Hardy), a rugged white boy from Essex, toward a South Asian drag queen (Jason Patel) will take us.

Co-directors Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd’s scrappy drama shows enormous heart, but it’s the lead actors and their disparate identities that distinguish an otherwise familiar LGBT-themed indie. Hardy has big blue eyes and a boyish-looking face, which balance out Luke’s brutish body language. He’s introduced having coarse,...

Looking for something to watch tonight? Netflix has a huge library of films, but we’re here to help. Here are 24 underrated films available to stream now…

There’s a lot of streaming services out there and their libraries have seemingly an unending amount of films, which means that a lot of gems get buried under bigger, better known films. It’s become a little scary trying to find something to watch, especially if you’re already familiar with the blockbuster-y films on the front page.

We’ve taken a deep five into the depths of Netflix and dug out lots of films you may not have come across, or even if you have, deserve another watch.

Here are 24 underappreciated films on Netflix UK that are well worth your time, in our humble view.

Unicorns Credit: Signature UK

Ben Hardy’s single dad Luke falls for a drag queen Aysha...

Jason Patel is an emerging actor and artist. He plays the lead role of “Aysha” in Unicorns, opposite Ben Hardy. It’s his feature film debut. The film is co-directed by Sally El-Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, who also wrote the screenplay. Unicorns also features Patel’s music, a true fusion of both art forms. On this episode, he talks about how he approaches everything in life with creativity and love, and why his life goal is to make people happy even when he’s not there. He describes the giant role music plays in his preparation, the importance of staying in the […]

The post “We Gave Space for Each Other to Breathe”: Unicorns Star Jason Patel, Back To One, Episode 351 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Jason Patel is an emerging actor and artist. He plays the lead role of “Aysha” in Unicorns, opposite Ben Hardy. It’s his feature film debut. The film is co-directed by Sally El-Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, who also wrote the screenplay. Unicorns also features Patel’s music, a true fusion of both art forms. On this episode, he talks about how he approaches everything in life with creativity and love, and why his life goal is to make people happy even when he’s not there. He describes the giant role music plays in his preparation, the importance of staying in the […]

The post “We Gave Space for Each Other to Breathe”: Unicorns Star Jason Patel, Back To One, Episode 351 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

This summer specialty weekend is offering a handful of limited releases from Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cloud to Unicorns by Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, to the latest in the Jujutsu Kaisen series, Drowning Dry co-produced by Flow Academy award-winner Matiss Kaza and a handful of thoughtful docs. It’s a buzzy, busy box office with lots to see from Superman on down. Ari Aster’s Eddington from A24 is wide on 2,000 screens.

Sideshow/Janus Films opens thriller Cloud by Kiyoshi Kurosawa in NYC at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Center. Premiered at Venice, see Deadline review, 92% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Yoshii, an ambitious yet directionless young factory worker from Tokyo, side hustles in the murky realm of black market reselling, cheating buyers and sellers alike. After swindling his way into loads of cash, he becomes slowly disconnected to humanity, moving out of the city,...

For a film named “Unicorns,” color is noticeably absent at first. Luke (Ben Hardy) lives in a world of gray, where cloudy skies and towering blocks of concrete threaten to crush him completely. So too does the responsibility of raising a five-year-old son alone after his ex ran out. Not even a casual hook-up in a grubby field behind his Essex council estate frees him of that cramped, confined feeling, especially when the woman he’s just shagged cooly blows him off.

That all changes when Luke takes a wrong turn in an Indian restaurant one day and ends up in a Gaysian club night. Upon pushing that door open, strobe lights flood his monochromatic existence with neon colors that pulsate and glitter on stage where Aysha (Jason Patel) is performing. It’s almost like that unforgettable moment in “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy’s world transforms to color,...

When Luke (Ben Hardy), a mechanic and single father, stumbles into an Asian nightclub after an encounter with a woman who only sees him as a one-night stand, he meets the beautiful Aysha, a performer in the club. Luke is mesmerized; Aysha (Jason Patel) seems to wink at him. The next thing we know, they’re outside kissing – their connection electric and palpable. What Luke doesn’t initially realize is that he’s looking at Ashiq’s queer drag queen persona. The confusion when he does leads him to run away.

But Aysha doesn’t let Luke off so easily. Having lost her driver as a result of the kiss with Luke, she can’t get to gigs. So she tracks Luke down where he works, and makes him a deal: he drives her to gigs, and Aysha gives him a cut of her earnings. Luke remains reluctant. He still...

With the likes of James Gunn’s Superman, Universal's How to Train Your Dragon remake, the Gareth Edwards-helmed Jurassic World Rebirth, and much more dominating the global box office, it can be difficult for the smaller titles to reach an audience. With that in mind, the queer British drama Unicorns is worth better representation against the big-hitters ahead of its upcoming Friday, July 18, debut in US theaters. The film released in the UK last year, with its official debut at the Toronto International Film Festival coming way back in 2023.

Ahead of its release, Unicorns boasts a near-perfect 93% Rotten Tomatoes score from 28 reviews to date, one of the highest scores of any movie making its US theatrical release this year. The movie, directed by James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini and featuring newcomer Jason Patel, stars an X-Men: Apocalypse alum, Ben Hardy, as single father Luke Tilson, who...

Exclusive: Gillian Anderson, Corsagedirector Marie Kreutzer and Netflix’s Mona Qureshi are among the speakers and mentors for the 2025edition of The Writers Lab UK and Europe.

The lab, for women and non-binary screenwriters over 40, launches in September a media law firm Lee & Thompson in London for eight screenwriters from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Austria.

This yearThe Swimmersdirector Sally El Hosaini andJoi Productions founder and producer Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor will work as one-on-one mentors with the selected writers.

The 2025 edition will also feature a new virtual panel/speaker series alongside the lab that will focus on women creators making waves in the industry.

Exclusive:Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler’s UK-us outfit Maven Screen Media, in Cannes as producers of Scarlett Johansson’sUn Certain Regard title Eleanor The Great, are lining up their next film Rose’s Baby, which Styler will direct and in which Antonio Banderas will appear.

It will shoot this summer in London.

Beta Cinema has international rights, with CAA representing North America. Piers Tempest’s Tempo Productions is also producing.

“It’s about a dysfunctional divorced couple who can’t bear each other,” said Rattray, who said Banderas will play the father. “The only thing they agree on is...

Exclusive: Matthias Schweighöfer (Army of Thieves) has landed a lead role opposite Noah Jupe in Play Dead, the new survival thriller from Carry-On‘s Jaume Collet-Serra described as Don’t Breathe meets 1917.

Further plot details remain under wraps, as do the roles of the duo. Production has just kicked off in Australia.

Peter Stanley-Ward & Natalie Conway penned the script for Play Dead, which Nocturnal will fully finance and produce alongside Ghost House Pictures, BoulderLight Pictures, and Bad Grey. Akiva Nemetsky and Keaton Heinrichs are producing for Nocturnal, along with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert for Ghost House, Jd Lifshitz and Raphael Margules for BoulderLight, and Dane Eckerle for Bad Grey. Romel Adam and Jose Cañas are overseeing for Ghost House, with Louis Winters overseeing for BoulderLight. Scott Greenberg of Lbi is exec producing, with Jazmyn Tanski overseeing.

German actor Schweighöfer is perhaps best known for directing, producing and starring in Netflix’s Army of Thieves,...

John Wick: Chapter 4 will open in China on March 14 through Huahua Media, two years after the fourth entry in theKeanu Reeves action vehicle went on release in North America and other markets.

This is the first time a film from the franchise will release in the territory, andScreen understands the R-rated action thriller film has passed local censors without any cuts.

John Wick 4 has grossed more than $440m worldwide to date, of which $253m comes from international markets and $187m from North America.

Chad Stahelski directed the Thunder Road Films and 87eleven Entertainment production in which Wick discovers...

Actor Imelda Staunton, director Sally El Hosaini and composer Nainita Desai are among key UK industry figures taking part in Cinesisters Women’s Day Film Festival, taking place on March 8 at London’s All Is Joy Studios.

Cinesisters is a grassroots collective of female-identifying directors, founded in 2017. The event, open to all genders, includes workshops, panels and short film screenings.

The Swimmers director El Hosaini will be joined in a discussion on filmmaking with Isabelle Sieb, Debs Paterson, Jennifer Sheridan and Miranda Bowen.

An exploration of the legal considerations for composers will encompassFor Sama composer Desai, alongside Aisling Brouwer, Carly...

Actor Imelda Staunton, director Sally El Hosaini and composer Nainita Desai are among the key industry figures taking part in Cinesisters Women’s Day Film Festival, taking place on March 8 at London’s All Is Joy Studios.

Cinesisters is a grassroots collective of female-identifying directors, founded in 2017. The event, open to all genders, includes workshops, panels and short film screenings.

The Swimmers director El Hosaini will be joined in a discussion on filmmaking with Isabelle Sieb, Debs Paterson, Jennifer Sheridan and Miranda Bowen.

An exploration of the legal considerations for composers features For Sama composer Desai, alongside Aisling Brouwer, Carly...

Update: In the wake of the BBC acknowledging “serious flaws” in the production of its controversial documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” and initiating a further review, Artists for Palestine UK, which had published a letter condemning the broadcaster’s decision to remove the film, have issued a statement.

Artists for Palestine UK said: “We are appalled that the BBC has chosen to give credence to a politicized campaign that sought to discredit a documentary about children’s experiences of unspeakable Israeli military violence, because one child’s father was deputy agriculture minister in Gaza. This disgraceful decision comes despite nearly 900 media figures having warned the BBC of the dangers of such an approach.

“Reports over the last week have detailed Israel’s detention and torture of hundreds of Gaza’s medical workers. The world has seen images of traumatized and emaciated Palestinian captives emerging from Israeli jails, some with limbs amputated.

Image courtesy of A24

For me the year of 2024 was a challenging one. Between being in hospital or housebound at home, I could not attend any press shows or even visit my local cinemas. However, I have tried to catch up with some of the more important films of the year. I have missed many I would like to have seen, but time marches on and I have made the best of a bad situation. If it was a tough year for me, it also seems to have brought many films dealing with various difficulties to our cinema screens.

Take, for instance, Edward Berger’s Conclave. What could be more challenging than the selection of a new Pope? Ralph Fiennes in this role is torn between tradition and scandals concerning the possible candidates. Then there was Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, where a Mexican cartel leader is forced to disappear...

The Roundhouse in London played host this evening to the 2024 BIFAs – The British Independent Film Awards. Kneecap went into the awards ceremony leading the 2024 nominations with 14, Love Lies Bleeding had 12, The Outrun received 9 nominations, 7 nominations each for Bird, on becoming a guinea fowl and unicorns, 6 for Hoard and Civil War. The winners of tonight’s awards are below.

Celebrating remarkable films and outstanding talent from the British film industry and beyond, this year’s list highlights the UK’s brightest new talent alongside BIFA heroes such as Andrea Arnold, Rose Glass, Rungano Nyoni, Saoirse Ronan, Jack O’Connell, Barry Keoghan and Hayley Squires.

Colin Hart and Ethan Hart were on the red carpet, here are their interviews.

The 2024 BIFA Winners Best British Independent Film

“Kneecap” — Rich Peppiatt, Trevor Birney, Jack Tarling — Winner

“Love Lies Bleeding” — Rose Glass, Weronika Tofilska, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman

“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” — Rungano Nyoni, Tim Cole,...

As 2024 nears its end, that can only mean one thing — awards season is upon us! And while various Critics' Circle and Guild bashes have already gotten underway, tonight was the first major event of the season on this side of the pond: the British Independent Film Awards. Hosted by Peter Serafinowicz at London's Roundhouse, the ceremony saw Rich Peppiatt's barnstorming Irish rap trio biopic Kneecap — already one of Empire's Best Movies of 2024 — emerge as the night's biggest winner. In all, the film (which is streaming now on Prime Video UK) picked up seven gongs on the night, including Best British Independent Film, Best Joint Lead Performance for Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, and Best Debut Screenwriter for Peppiatt.

In the other key acting categories, Marianne Jean-Baptiste won Best Lead Performance for her emotional, incendiary turn as embattled matriarch Pansy in Mike Leigh's Hard Truths,...

“Kneecap,” the hit Irish comedy biopic about the Belfast rap group of the same name, has landed the top honor at the British Independent Film Awards and a total of seven BIFA awards overall.

Writer/director Rich Peppiatt’s debut feature — which went into Sunday’s ceremony already having won four BIFA craft awards — was named best British independent film, with Peppiatt winning best debut screenwriter and Kneecap bandmates Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (who all play themselves) winning best joint lead.

Elsewhere on the night, which was hosted by Peter Serafinowicz, Rungano Nyoni won best director for her sophomore feature “On Becoming A Guinea Fowl,” exploring buried secrets in a middle class Zambian family. The film’s lead star Susan Chardy won breakthrough performance.

Meanwhile, Sandhya Suri, writer/director of Hindi-language crime thriller “Santosh,” won best screenplay. “Santosh,” which is the U.K.

The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas)winners are being unveiled from a ceremony at London’s Roundhouse.

Scroll down for winners

Screen isupdating this page live from the ceremony as the winners are announced - refresh this page for the latest winners. Scroll down for the full nominations and craft winners.

Sophie Okonedo is receiving theRichard Harris award. The actor is best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in 2004’sHotel Rwanda while her other film credits includeThe Secret Lie Of Bees,Christopher Robin,Wild Rose,Death On The Nile andCatherine Called Birdy.

Bifa winners 2024

Winners in bold, latest award top

Best...

The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas)winners will be unveiled today (December 8)from a ceremony at London’s Roundhouse, commencing at 20:00 GMT.

Scroll down for winners

Screen will be updating this page live from the ceremony as the winners are announced - refresh this page for the latest winners. Scroll down for the full nominations and craft winners.

Rich Peppiatt’s Irish-language comedyKneecap leads the nominations with six, including director, screenplay and best British independent film for Peppiatt - the latter alongside producers Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling - and joint lead performance for its stars Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh,...

The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas)winners will be unveiled today (December 8)from a ceremony at London’s Roundhouse, commencing at 20:00 GMT.

Scroll down for winners

Screenwillbeupdatingthispagelivefromtheceremonyasthewinnersareannounced, so refresh thispageforthelatestwinners. Scrolldown for the fullnominationsandcraftwinners.

Rich Peppiatt’s Irish-language comedyKneecapleads the nominations with six, including director, screenplay and best British independent film for Peppiatt - the latter alongside producers Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling - and joint lead performance for its stars Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh.

Rose Glass’Love Lies Bleeding andNora Fingscheidt’sThe Outrunare on four nominations each. Glass’ second feature stars...

Unicorns, co-directed by James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini, is smashing the 2024 British Independent Film Awards with seven nominations across the board – including the all-import BBC Film sponsored Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) which we here at Dn are partnering with BIFA on – and it’s clear to see why. Unicorns is at its heart a romance drama but one that engulfs us in the radiant, unapologetic and fierce subculture of drag and the gaysian community. Floyd has brought his self-professed “creative baby” to audiences in a time where identity, the shedding of conformist layers and being able to explore who you are is more important than ever. Unicorns is a film about acceptance, not only of others but of ourselves, and treats this with consideration, care and authenticity which was heavily informed by Floyd’s direct knowledge and long-time friendship with Britain’s first out Muslim drag...

Whilst the eyes of the world may be locked firmly on the other side of the Atlantic this morning, back here in Blighty there is at least some positivity still to be shared yet. Having shone last year when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes brought Hollywood to a standstill, the independent British cinema scene has continued to shine throughout 2024, with revered greats, rising stars, returning masters, and bold new narratives all emerging to ensure the flame for indies from these shores has never burned brighter. As such, it comes as no great surprise that the announcement of this year's British Independent Film Awards nominees is a veritable treasure trove of great art and great artists that stand to represent the very best British filmmaking has to offer.

Leading the pack with an impressive 14 nominations — including nods for Best British Independent Film, Director, Screenplay, and Debut Director — is British-Irish filmmaker Rich Peppiatt...

The British Independent Film Awards this year honor two Sundance breakout films, with both “Kneecap” and “Love Lies Bleeding” atop the 2024 nominations list.

Rich Peppiatt’s “Kneecap” (repping Ireland for the 2024 Best International Feature Oscar) leads this year’s nominees with 14 nods, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best British Independent Film. “Kneecap” is based on the eponymous rap group, which star here alongside Michael Fassbender in a fictionalized band origin story.

Following “Kneecap” with 12 nominations is Rose Glass’s “Love Lies Bleeding.” Co-leads Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian are nominated for Best Joint Lead Performance, and the film has also been recognized in the Best British Independent Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay categories.

Additional features that received multiple nominations include “The Outrun,” “Bird,” and “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.”

In 2023, “All of Us Strangers” swept the top categories with awards, in addition to “Rye Lane” and future...

“Kneecap” and “Love Lies Bleeding” led Tuesday’s nominations for the British Independent Film Awards.

Written and directed by Rich Peppiatt, “Kneecap,” Ireland’s Oscar entry, scored 14 bids, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Joint Lead Performance for Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh. It was shortlisted in a whopping eight crafts categories.

Rose Glass‘ “Love Lies Bleeding” was next in like with 12 nominations, including the same above-the-line categories as “Kneecap.” Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian are nominated for joint lead performance. It also earned eight crafts nominations.

Nora Fingsheidt‘s “The Outrun” received nine bids, including Best Lead Performance for Saoirse Ronan, who previously won the BIFA for Best Actress for 2015’s “Brooklyn.” The film is up for the top prize, while Fingsheidt is nominated for her direction and her script with Amy Liptrot.

Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” Rungano Nyoni...

This morning, the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) announced their list of nominations for 2024.

‘Kneecap’ leads 2024 nominations with 14, ‘Love Lies Bleeding has 12, ‘The Outrun receives 9 nominations, 7 nominations each for ‘Bird,’ on becoming a guinea fowl and unicorns, 6 for ‘Hoard’ and ‘Civil War.’

Celebrating remarkable films and outstanding talent from the British film industry and beyond, this year’s list highlights the UK’s brightest new talent alongside BIFA heroes such as Andrea Arnold, Rose Glass, Rungano Nyoni, Saoirse Ronan, Jack O’Connell, Barry Keoghan and Hayley Squires.

Also in news – John Krasinski to return for ‘Jack Ryan’ movie

The nominations are;

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

Tba – This year’s award recipient will be announced in the coming weeks.

Best British Independent Film

Kneecap Rich Peppiatt, Trevor Birney, Jack Tarling

Love Lies Bleeding Rose Glass, Weronika Tofilska, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman

On Becoming A Guinea Fowl Rungano Nyoni,...

This year’s BIFA nominations have been unveiled and it’s a delightfully diverse group of great films. More on those below.

There’s less than two months of 2024 left, which means that the awards season is also upon us. It’s time to celebrate this year’s excellent films with fancy statuettes, and first in line is the British Independent Film Awards, aka BIFAs. Nominations were announced today (5th November).

Rich Peppiatt’s joyously anarchic Kneecap leads the pack with a whopping 14 nominations to its name. Rose Glass’ Love Lies Bleeding follows with 12 nominations and Nora Fingscheidt also triumphed with nine.

Women are particularly well represented this year. Out of the five Best British Independent Film nominees, four are directed by women. It’s the same for the Best Director category, where Andrea Arnold, Nora Fingscheidt, Rose Glass and Rungano Nyoni are nominated along with Rich Peppiatt.

Amy Winehouse...

The subversive Irish flick Kneecap leads this year’s British Independent Film Award nominations with 14 nods, including Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Directed by Rich Peppiatt, the film’s impressive noms haul also includes nods for Best Debut Screenwriter, Best British Independent Film, and eight craft categories, including Best Casting and Best Cinematography.

Kneecap debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and has been picked to represent Ireland in the International Feature Film category of the 97th annual Academy Awards.

Trailing Kneecap is Rose Glass’ punk rock flick Love Lies Bleeding, which landed 12 nominations. The film’s noms include Best British Independent Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. The film’s two leads, Katy O’Brian and Kristen Stewart, also landed nods for Best Joint Lead Performance.

Elsewhere, Saoirse Ronan’s indie flick The Outrun landed nine noms, and Andrea Arnold’s fifth feature Bird picked up seven nods.

Winners...

“Kneecap” and “Love Lies Bleeding” lead the nominees for this year’s British Independent Film Awards.

“How to Have Sex” breakout Mia McKenna-Bruce and “Rye Lane” star Vivian Oparah announced the nominations in London on Tuesday morning. “Kneecap” received the most nods with 14, including best screenplay, director for Rich Peppiatt and joint lead performance for Kneecap members Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh.

Rose Glass’ “Love Lies Bleeding” follows with 12, including best British independent film, director, screenplay and joint lead performance for Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian. “The Outrun,” starring Saoirse Ronan, received nine nods for best British independent film, director for Nora Fingsheidt, screenplay for Fingsheidt and Amy Liptrot and lead performance for Ronan.

Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” Rungano Nyoni’s “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” and James Krishna Floyd’s “Unicorns” each garnered seven nominations.

The winners will be revealed, in addition to...

The 2024 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) nominations were unveiled Tuesday morning by Mia McKenna-Bruce (How to Have Sex) and Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane) at One Hundred Shoreditch in London, with Kneecap, the Irish rap comedy featuring Michael Fassbender, and Love Lies Bleeding with Kristen Stewart leading the charge, followed by The Outrun with Saoirse Ronan, as well as Andrea Arnold’s Bird with Barry Keoghan, queer romance Unicorns, and Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.

In the performance categories, big-name nominees include the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Barry Keoghan, Kristen Stewart, Alicia Vikander, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Elliot Page, and Jack O’Connell.

In the best international feature category, Sean Baker’s Anora will compete with the likes of Mohammad Rasoulof‘s The Seed of the Sacred Fig.

“Celebrating remarkable films and outstanding talent from the British film industry and beyond, this year’s list highlights the U.K.’s brightest...

Subversive Irish breakout pic Kneecap and Sasha Nathwani’s gentle yet ambitious debut Last Swim are among the titles that have nabbed mentions on the new talent longlists at this year’s British Independent Film Awards.

Both Kneecap and Last Swim pop up on the Douglas Hickox Best Debut Director Award longlist. Other nominees include Hoard, directed by Luna Carmoon, and Karan Kandhari’s Sister Midnight, which debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

All four films also feature on the best screenplay longlist alongside Christopher Andrews’s Bring Them Down starring Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott. Other pics on the screenplay longlist include The Ceremony by Jack King and Jed Hart’s Restless.

Overall, the longlists include 31 British features, with 20 fiction and 11 documentary features across four debut filmmaking categories. Within that, there are 13 first-time fiction feature directors, 16 first-time feature documentary directors, 11 first-time writers, and 19 breakthrough producers.

The final...

Filmmakers from Bring Them Down, The Ceremony and Tuesday feature prominently on the filmmaker new talent longlists for the 2024 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas).

Bring Them Down’s Christopher Andrews is longlisted for the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut director and the best debut screenwriter award, while the film’s debut producer Jacob Swan Hyam is longlisted for breakthrough producer.

Scroll down for the filmmaker New Talent longlists

The Ceremony repeats that trio for writer-director Jack King and producers Hollie Bryan and Lucy Meer; as does Tuesday for writer-director Daina O Pusic and producer Helen Gladders.

Four filmmaker new...

Actors from Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap and Andrea Arnold’s Bird are among the 12 names on the longlist for the breakthrough performance award at the British Independent Film Awards (Bifas).

JJ Ó Dochartaigh, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin – members of Irish rap group Kneecap, who play fictionalised versions of themselves in the film of the same name – are all on the list, as are Bird actors Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda.

Scroll down for the full list

Screen 2024 Stars of Tomorrow Saura Lightfoot Leon and Jason Patel are selected for their performances in Luna Carmoon’s Venice...

Ariane Labed’s feature directorial debut September Says won the Golden Hitchcock for best film at Dinard Festival Of British & Irish Film, which drew to a close in its French seaside setting yesterday (October 6).

The film follows two sisters on a holiday in Ireland, adapted from Daisy Johnson’s 2020 novel Sisters, and world premiered earlier this year in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard.

Best performance went to Irish actor Lalor Roddy, for his role in Pat Collins’ That They May Face The Rising Sun, which world premiered at last year’s BFI London Film Festival. A couple return from London to...

The Dinard film festival (2-6 October), traditionally a celebration of all things British, brought its 35th iteration to the seaside city’s screens with a soft relaunch this year, after retitling itself to include Irish films and co-productions. The result was suitably eclectic, with just six films competing for the Hitchcock d’Or, which was voted on by an eight-strong jury of actors and directors. Including The Quiet Girl director Colm Bairéad and House of the Dragon star Phoebe Campbell, the judging panel was headed up by French actress-director-model-singer Arielle Dombasle, a favorite of Claude Lelouch, Éric Rohmer and Alain Robbe-Grillet but more recently seen this summer singing her song “Olympics” to herald the arrival of the Olympic torch in Paris, ahead of the recent games.

Opening with Alice Lowe’s horror-comedy Timestalker and ending with Matt Brown’s psychological drama Freud’s Last Session, the festival — curated by Dominique Green...

Veteran producer-distributor David Kosse has set up a development deal with Prime Video for the UK under his new production outfit Rockwood Pictures.

Kosse was most recently the London-based head of international film at Netflix.

The company’s development deal sits with the streamer’s UK licensing team under Chris Bird, managing director of Prime Video UK. It will cover the development and production of films, Prime Video confirmed to Screen.

The London-based Kosse set up Rockwood in 2023 and has kept a tight lid on his strategy so far, but is known to be quietly developing a slate of film...

Veteran producer-diistrbutor David Kosse has set up a first-look development deal with Prime Video for the UK under his new production outfit Rockwood Pictures.

Kosse was most recently the London-based head of international film at Netflix.

The company’s development deal sits with the streamer’s UK licensing team under Chris Bird, managing director of Prime Video UK. It will cover the development and production of films, Prime Video confirmed to Screen.

The London-based Kosse set up Rockwood in 2023 with former Netflix colleague Claire Willats, who led the Nordics team at the US streamer and produced films such as Troll,...

Festival favourites from throughout 2024 will screen at France’s Dinard Festival of British & Irish Film, including two films starring Barry Keoghan, Andrea Arnold’s Cannes premiere Bird and Chris Andrews’ Toronto title Bring Them Down.

Bring Them Down, a rural Ireland-set revenge story partly filmed in the Irish language and co-starring Christopher Abbott, will play in the main festival competition, alongside Ariane Labed’s Cannes premiere and directorial debut September Says.

Another Irish-language title in the 53-strong line-up is Rich Peppiatt’s Sundance breakout hip-hop biopic Kneecap. While Irish titles have previously been included in the festival’s programme, this...

France’s Dinard Festival of British & Irish Film has unveiled the line-up of its 34th edition, including two films starring Barry Keoghan, Andrea Arnold’s Cannes premiere Bird and Chris Andrews’ Toronto title Bring Them Down.

Bring Them Down, a rural Ireland-set revenge story that’s also partly in the Irish language and stars Poor Things’ Christopher Abbott, will play in the main festival competition, competing for the Golden Hitchcock award for best film award, alongside Ariane Labed’s Cannes premiere and directorial debut September Says.

Another Irish-language title in the 53-strong line-up is Rich Peppiatt’s Sundance breakout hip-hop biopic Kneecap.

British filmmaker Mike Leigh will be feted at this year’s Toronto Film Festival with the TIFF Ebert Director Award for career achievement. The announcement was made this morning by TIFF head Cameron Bailey.

Leigh returns to TIFF this year for the World Premiere of his 23rd film, Hard Truths, screening as part of the Special Presentations programme. He reunites with Academy Award nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies) in the pic which is described as an “intimate study of modern family life.” Hard Truths will be distributed by Bleecker Street in the US and by Mongrel Media in Canada. Leigh has had eight films in Official Selection at the festival, including Another Year, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Mr. Turner.

Named after legendary film critic Roger Ebert, previous recipients of the award include Martin Scorsese, Claire Denis, Ava DuVernay, Wim Wenders, and the late Agnès Varda.

The Canadian festival further announced this...

Star-crossed lovers are always ripe for the big screen — a fact understood well by filmmakers James Floyd and Sally El Hosaini with the vibrant if familiar Unicorns. Mechanic-meets-drag-queen isn’t yet part of the genre’s vernacular, but the film makes a fine case for this new couple to become part of the canon.

The tragic lovers here are mechanic and single dad Luke (Ben Hardy) and drag queen Aysha (Jason Patel). They meet in a club — a wordless, intoxicating encounter — before Luke notices the Adam’s apple of his object of affection and things get complicated. Perhaps this kind of point-blank prejudice feels a few years old in cinema, but it’s no less tragic in the real world.

Luke and Aysha individually are more compelling than the sum of their parts.

The film explores self-expression and the definition of family protection carefully, looking at what it means to...

Director David Gordon Green’s “Nutcrackers,” starring Ben Stiller, will be the opening night film at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut “The Deb” will close the 49th edition.

“Nutcrackers” follows Stiller as a straight-laced, work-obsessed man who suddenly becomes the caregiver for his orphaned nephews. It will screen on Sept. 5 at Roy Thomson Hall as part of the Gala program. “The Deb,” an original musical comedy about two teenage cousins who search to find dates to the Debutante Ball in a small Australian town, will premiere on Sept. 15 at Roy Thomson Hall.

“This year’s festival is shaping up to be a star-studded event with highly anticipated films that reflect the world around us with humour and empathy, like our opening and closing night selections, ‘Nutcrackers’ and ‘The Deb,’” said Anita Lee, chief programming officer of TIFF. “TIFF aims to showcase both returning...

Nutcrackers, David Gordon Green’s heartfelt comedy starring Ben Stiller, is set to open the 2024 Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 5.

The TIFF opener — marking Stiller’s first starring role in a movie since Mike White’s Brad’s Status and Noah Baumbach’s Netflix family drama The Meyerowitz Stories in 2017 — will have a world premiere at Roy Thomson Hall, which is filled with ordinary moviegoers (and not only industry people as in Cannes and Venice).

Written by Leland Douglas, Nutcrackers follows Mike (Stiller), a straight-laced workaholic who has to travel to rural Ohio to care for his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident. After weeks of farm-life mayhem, Mike realizes he won’t have to find a new home for the orphaned children. They found a new home for him.

Nutcrackers — with an ensemble cast that includes Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Huss — is...

Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (July 5-7) Total gross to date Week 1. Inside Out 2 (Disney) £5.1m £40.1m 4 2. A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount) £1.6m £6.2m 2 3. Bad Boys: Ride Or Die (Sony) £446,578 £11.1m 5 4. MaXXXine (Universal) £384,410 £384,410 1 5. The Bikeriders (Universal) £373,027 £3.2m 3

Disney’s Inside Out 2 has become the highest-grossing title 2024 so far at the UK and Ireland box office, after hitting £40m in four weeks.

The animated sequel added another £5.1m, down just 15% on the previous session. Inside Out 2 overtakes Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two on £39.4m as well as its own predecessor, 2015’s Inside Out, which also ended on £39.4m.

Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (July 5-7) Total gross to date Week 1. Inside Out 2 (Disney) £5.1m £40.1m 4 2. A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount) £1.6m £6.2m 2 3. Bad Boys: Ride Or Die (Sony) £446,578 £11.1m 5 4. MaXXXine (Universal) £384,410 £384,410 1 5. The Bikeriders (Universal) £373,027 £3.2m 3

Disney’s Inside Out 2 has become the highest-grossing title 2024 so far at the UK and Ireland box office, after hitting £40m in four weeks.

The animated sequel added another £5.1m, down just 15% on the previous session. Inside Out 2 overtakes Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two on £39.4m as well as its own predecessor, 2015’s Inside Out, which also ended on £39.4m.

Ti West’s crime horror MaXXXine leads the new titles at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, opening in 477 cinemas through Universal.

The third title in the X film series from US director West follows X and Pearl. MaXXXine sees its protagonist, played by Mia Goth, set out for fame and success in 1980s Hollywood while being targeted by a mysterious killer.

X opened to £227,493 from 481 sites at a £473 average in March 2022, ending on £641,792, released through Entertainment Film Distributors. The franchise then moved to Universal for UK-Ireland, where Pearl started with £192,895 from 293 sites at a £658 average, ending on £477,076 in March...

Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd take the helm of Unicorns, a story highlighting the intersecting lives of two unique individuals. El Hosaini has gained acclaim for her portraits of identity in a multicultural Britain, while Floyd penned the insightful script. They’ve assembled an impressive cast led by Jason Patel and Ben Hardy in their first film collaboration.

Hardy plays Luke, a mechanic and single dad residing in working-class Essex. Life has dealt him some tough blows, yet he keeps persevering for the sake of his young son. One night at an underground club, his eyes are drawn to Aysha’s dazzling performance on stage. Played with heartfelt nuance by Patel, Aysha lights up the room as her soulful drag queen persona. What starts as a fleeting encounter leads to unexpected places as Luke realizes Aysha exists as more than just a beauty behind makeup.

Challenging assumptions and dismissing easy labels,...

Jason Patel is excellent as drag queen Aysha in Sally El Hosaini’s new film, but the scenes where Aysha visits her parents as Ashiq really steal the show

Welsh-Egyptian film-maker Sally El Hosaini made a supremely confident debut in 2012 with My Brother the Devil, about a young gay Muslim drug dealer in Hackney. After following up with last year’s refugee drama The Swimmers, she is back exploring queer south Asian culture. Co-directing Unicorns with James Krishna Floyd (the star of My Brother the Devil), who wrote the script, El Hosaini brings a streak of hopefulness to gritty social realism, with the added attraction of superstar drag queens.

At the centre of the film are a pair of heartfelt performances. Ben Hardy is Luke, a straight white mechanic struggling to bring up his five-year-old son as a single dad. One night, Luke accidentally finds himself on the dancefloor of...

After capturing the hearts of audiences and critics alike at BFI Flare earlier this year, Unicorns arrives in UK cinemas this week. Loosely-inspired by the story of Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen, the culture-clash romance also represents a number of firsts for its co-directors, Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, as well as its stars, Ben Hardy and Jason Patel.

Hardy stars as Luke, a single father whose life is taken up with his job as a mechanic and his high-spirited five year old son. But when he stumbles on an underground club playing Asian dance music, he’s immediately fascinated by a flirtatious dancer who goes by the name of Aysha (Patel). The passionate kiss that follows makes it apparent that Aysha isn’t the person Luke had assumed, but the attraction is so powerful, he’s soon juggling his life with acting as her driver.