Editor

The nominations and jury members for the eleventh annual British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) were announced today, Tuesday 28 October at Soho House in London.

The nominations this year reflect the up and coming and internationally renowned on and off screen talent and also demonstrate a strong multicultural presence.

Elliot Grove, founder of Raindance and the British Independent Film Awards says: "The nominations reveal an unparalleled number of new and young film talent across the various categories. Together with more established film industry names, these nominees mark a refreshing eleventh year."

The films receiving the most nominations are Hunger and In Bruges tied with seven nominations each. Slumdog Millionaire follows with six, Shifty one of the first from the Film London Microwave slate receives five nominations, Somers Town, Son of Rambow and The Duchess hold four nominations each. Other films with multiple nominations are The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Happy-Go-Lucky both receiving three, and Man on Wire, The Daisy Chain, Eden Lake and The Escapist receiving two each. There is an unprecedented number of twenty-three other nominated films throughout the categories.

First time BIFA actor nominees include, Colin Farrell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sienna Miller, Vera Farmiga, Asa Butterfield, Alexis Zegerman, Sally Hawkins, Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Brendan Gleeson, Riz Ahmed, Daniel Mays, Dev Patel, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Bill Milner, Hayley Atwell, Will Poulter and past Variety Award recipient Keira Knightley.

This year sees repeat nominations for actors Samantha Morton, Eddie Marsan, Emma Thompson, Kelly Reilly, Thomas Turgoose - who is the youngest ever Best Actor nominee - and Ralph Fiennes who receives a double nomination this year in the Best Supporting Actor category. As well as a few behind the camera nominees, such as directors Danny Boyle and Shane Meadows and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle.

The BIFA pre-selection committee (of 70 members) viewed more than 150 films, out of which the selected the nominations.

BIFA Directors, Johanna von Fischer & Tessa Collinson say: "We are delighted to be able to highlight such an eclectic range of new British film talent this year with the pre-nomination debut director category being the most competitive BIFA has ever had. We are also proud to honor two outstanding British acting talents and careers with The Richard Harris Award and The Variety Awards."

From his breakthrough role in Mike Leigh's Naked through to his most recent role as the Father in this year's BIFA nominated The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, David Thewlis, a nominee in BIFA's inaugural year 1998, will be honoured with the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor. Also this year, The Variety Award for bringing the international spotlight to the British film industry goes to the star of Frost/Nixon, Michael Sheen.

BIFA's new jury is comprised of sixteen professionals and talents from across the British film industry including: Producer and Chair, Simon Relph, Actresses Anne Marie Duff and Eva Birthistle, Actors Mark Strong and Christopher Simpson, Director Joe Wright, Photographer/Director Rankin, Writer/Director Paul Andrew Williams, Writer Abi Morgan, Producers David Lawson, Gina Carter and Cat Villiers, Xavier Marchand Distributor (Momentum), Casting Director Shaheen Baig, Agent Tor Belfrage and Col Needham, Founder and Managing Director of the Internet Movie Database.

The much anticipated 11th awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 30 November at the Old Billingsgate Market in London and will be hosted by James Nesbitt.