Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical tale of growing up during the Troubles, and one-shot restaurant-kitchen drama Boiling Point, starring Stephen Graham, have emerged as the frontrunners for the British independent film awards (Bifas) as both picked up 11 nominations.

Branagh’s film, which emerged as a serious Oscar contender after winning the influential People’s Choice award at the Toronto film festival, scored four acting nods, for Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds and for its young lead Jude Hill, but surprisingly was not nominated as best British independent film or for the directing and writing categories.

Boiling Point, which premiered to acclaim at the Karlovy Vary festival in the Czech Republic, also secured four acting nominations (including one for Graham), as well as best British independent film and best director for Philip Barantini.

After Love, starring Joanna Scanlan as a woman who discovers her husband’s secret life after he dies, scored an impressive nine nominations, including best actress for Scanlan and best director and screenplay for Aleem Khan. Also on nine is The Souvenir Part II from writer-director Joanna Hogg, the follow-up to Hogg’s 2019 The Souvenir, which was nominated for eight Bifas.

The winners will be announced on 5 December at a ceremony in London.

Full list of nominees

Best British independent film
After Love
Ali & Ava
Boiling Point
The Nest
The Souvenir Part II

Best director
Philip Barantini, Boiling Point
Clio Barnard, Ali & Ava
Sean Durkin, The Nest
Joanna Hogg, The Souvenir Part II
Aleem Khan, After Love

Best actress
Caitríona Balfe, Belfast
Carrie Coon, The Nest
Claire Rushbrook, Ali & Ava
Joanna Scanlan, After Love
Ruth Wilson, True Things

Best actor
Riz Ahmed, Encounter
Adeel Akhtar, Ali & Ava
Stephen Graham, Boiling Point
Jude Law, The Nest
James Norton, Nowhere Special

Best supporting actress
Judi Dench, Belfast
Jo Hartley, Sweetheart
Nathalie Richard, After Love
Vinette Robinson, Boiling Point
Tilda Swinton, The Souvenir Part II

Best supporting actor
Talid Ariss, After Love
Richard Ayoade, The Souvenir Part II
Lucian-River Chauhan, Encounter
Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
Ray Panthaki, Boiling Point

Douglas Hickox award (best debut director)
Prano Bailey-Bond, Censor
Celeste Bell, Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché [also directed by Paul Sng]
Cathy Brady, Wildfire
Aleem Khan, After Love
Marley Morrison, Sweetheart

Breakthrough performance
Lauryn Ajufo, Boiling Point
Nell Barlow, Sweetheart
Max Harwood, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Jude Hill, Belfast
Ellora Torchia, In the Earth

Best documentary
Cow
Dying to Divorce
I Am Belmaya
Keyboard Fantasies
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché

Best screenplay
Clio Barnard, Ali & Ava
Terence Davies, Benediction
Sean Durkin, The Nest
Joanna Hogg, The Souvenir Part II
Aleem Khan, After Love

Breakthrough producer
Michelle Antoniades, Sweetheart
Helen Jones, Censor
Jessica Malik, She Will [also produced by Bob Last]
Hester Ruoff, Boiling Point [also produced by Bart Ruspoli]
Rob Watson, The Power [also produced by Matthew James Wilkinson]

Best debut screenwriter
Prano Bailey-Bond, Censor [also written by Anthony Fletcher]
Cathy Brady, Wildfire
Aleem Khan, After Love
Marley Morrison, Sweetheart
Reggie Yates, Pirates

Raindance Discovery award
Bank Job
The Bike Thief
I Am Belmaya
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
Rebel Dykes

Best British short film
Egúngún (Masquerade)
Femme
Night of the Living Dread
Play It Safe
Precious Hair & Beauty

Best international independent film
Compartment No 6
First Cow
Flee
Petite Maman
Pleasure

Best casting
After Love
Ali & Ava
Pirates
Belfast
Boiling Point

Best cinematography
The Nest
Cow
Boiling Point
Censor
Belfast

Best costume design
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
The Souvenir Part II
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Benediction
Belfast

Best music
Pirates
Ali & Ava
Encounter
In the Earth
Belfast

Best effects
Dashcam
Censor
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain

Best editing
The Souvenir Part II
Cow
Belfast
Censor
In the Earth

Best makeup & hair
The Souvenir Part II
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain
Censor
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Belfast

Best production design
Belfast
The Souvenir Part II
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain
Boiling Point
Censor

Best sound
Cow
Boiling Point
Censor
In the Earth
Encounter