'Pillion' Takes Top Prize at BIFA Awards, 'Sentimental Value' Named Best International Film

Harry Lighton, making his feature film debut as writer-director, celebrated a major success with Pillion, a sub/dom romance featuring Alexander Skarsgrd as a leather-clad biker and Harry Melling as a suburban Londoner who becomes his submissive partner. The film secured four British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) in London on Sunday, including Best Independent British Film and Best Debut Screenwriter.

Celia Imrie presented the Best Film award during an evening dedicated to celebrating independent cinema. With the addition of the recently announced BIFA craft awards, Pillion tied with Ray Mendoza and Alex Garlands military drama Warfare, each taking home four awards across craft and ensemble categories.

Myrid Cartens documentary A Want in Her, examining mental health and addiction within her family, earned three BIFAs: Best Feature Documentary, Best Debut Director Feature Documentary, and The Raindance Maverick Award.

Joachim Triers Sentimental Value won Best International Indie Film. Co-writer Eskil Vogt, accepting on Triers behalf, remarked that while the attention is gratifying, it delays work on future projects.

Akinola Davies Jr. received Best Director for My Fathers Shadow, a Lagos-set family drama starring Sop Dirisu. The film, the U.K.s submission for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, led BIFA nominations with 12. Billy Crudup presented the award.

Tom Basden and Tim Key were honored for Best Joint Lead Performance and Best Screenplay for The Ballad of Wallis Island, a story of a retired folk musician reuniting with a former partner for an eccentric fan.

Acting awards went to Robert Aramayo for Best Lead Performance in I Swear, Posy Sterling for Best Breakthrough Performance in Lollipop, and Jay Lycurgo for Best Supporting Performance in Steve. Aramayo highlighted how the film sparked meaningful conversations about Tourettes and neurodiversity.

Cal McMau won the Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director with Wasteman, a prison drama exploring intense bonds between inmates. Dhiraj Mahey received Breakthrough Producer for Ish, a social-realist coming-of-age film. The Best British Short Film went to Magid / Zafar, about tensions between two men in a British-Pakistani takeaway. Adolescence producer and Warp Films received a Special Jury Prize.

During his acceptance speech, Lighton recalled a prior BIFA nomination in 2017, joking about his earlier misadventures in the industry and expressing gratitude to his collaborators, including Skarsgrd and Melling.

The 2025 Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film was presented to Emily Watson by Paul Mescal. Watson urged emerging artists to support younger colleagues and emphasized the importance of independent storytelling against algorithm-driven content.

The ceremony highlighted the strength of British independent cinema, celebrating a wide range of voices and stories, from debut directors to established actors making enduring contributions.

Reflection on the Triumph of Independent Cinema at the BIFAs

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) ceremony held in London on Sunday was a testament to the enduring strength and diversity of British independent cinema. Harry Lighton’s "Pillion," with its bold exploration of a sub/dom romance, was a standout, securing four awards, including Best Independent British Film and Best Debut Screenwriter. This achievement not only marks a major milestone for Lighton but also highlights the continued success of indie films that tackle unique and often underrepresented stories. The film's exploration of complex themes, coupled with standout performances from Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, solidified its place in the spotlight of independent cinema.

In a parallel narrative, Myrid Carten’s "A Want in Her," a poignant documentary delving into mental health and addiction within her family, was another major winner, earning three BIFAs. This reflects a growing recognition for documentaries at the BIFAs, emphasizing their importance in telling deeply personal and socially relevant stories. The recognition of Akinola Davies Jr. for Best Director for "My Father’s Shadow," which also led the nominations with 12, further demonstrated the evolving landscape of British cinema, where narratives rooted in diverse cultural experiences are finding their place in the limelight.

While Lighton and Carten made headlines for their successes, the awards also highlighted the broad range of talent across various categories. Acting awards, like Robert Aramayo’s Best Lead Performance for "I Swear" and Posy Sterling’s Best Breakthrough Performance for "Lollipop," brought attention to the emerging generation of actors who are shaping the future of British cinema. Similarly, the Best British Short Film award going to "Magid / Zafar" demonstrated the significance of short films in driving fresh, impactful narratives in the industry.

The ceremony's celebration of independent cinema was further underscored by Emily Watson’s acceptance of the 2025 Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film. Watson’s speech about the importance of independent storytelling in an age dominated by algorithm-driven content resonated deeply with many in the audience, emphasizing the need to support authentic, diverse voices. The evening as a whole was a reminder that British cinema continues to thrive in its ability to tell powerful, distinctive stories that challenge convention and engage audiences on a meaningful level.

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• ‘Pillion’ Dominates BIFA Awards, ‘Sentimental Value’ Wins Best International Film