The much-praised London-set teen drama Rocks has emerged as the lead winner of the British independent film awards (Bifas), which were announced on Thursday in a virtual ceremony hosted by actor Tom Felton.

Rocks, directed by Sarah Gavron and produced by Faye Ward and Ameenah Ayub Allen, stars Bukky Bakray as a girl left to look after her brother when her mother abandons them; it won five awards including best British independent film, best supporting actress for Kosar Ali, best supporting actor for D’Angelou Osei Kissiedu and best casting. Ali also won the award for most promising newcomer.

Bakray, however, was surprisingly beaten in the race for the best actress award by Wunmi Mosaku, who co-starred in the Netflix refugee horror His House, which won four Bifas. Remi Weekes, the film’s writer-director, took home the best director award, and the film also won best effects and best production design.

Next in number of awards with three was The Father, a study of dementia starring Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins won best actor, and the film won best screenplay and best editing.

The night was a personal triumph for Riz Ahmed, who – despite losing out as best actor for rap drama Mogul Mowgli – took home the debut screenwriter award for the same film (for which he was jointly credited with the film’s director, Bassam Tariq) as well as the best British short film award for The Long Goodbye which he co-created to accompany his acclaimed album of the same name.

Full list of awards

Best British independent film Rocks
Best director Remi Weekes, His House
Best screenplay Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton, The Father
Best actress Wunmi Mosaku, His House
Best actor Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Best supporting actress Kosar Ali, Rocks
Best supporting actor D’Angelou Osei Kissiedu, Rocks
Douglas Hickox award (for debut director) Rose Glass, Saint Maud
Breakthrough producer Irune Gurtubai, Limbo
Debut screenwriter Riz Ahmed, Mogul Mowgli
Most promising newcomer Kosar Ali, Rocks
Best documentary The Reason I Jump
Raindance discovery award Perfect 10
Best British short film The Long Goodbye
Best international independent film Nomadland
Best casting Rocks
Best cinematography Saint Maud
Best costume design Misbehaviour
Best editing The Father
Best effects
 His House
Best make up & hair design Misbehaviour
Best music Mogul Mowgli
Best production design His House
Best sound The Reason I Jump