The British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film was an annual award given by the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) to recognize the best leading performance by an actress in a British independent film. The award was first presented in the 1998 ceremony with Kathy Burke being the first recipient of the award for her performance as Valerie in Nil by Mouth.
With two wins each, Carey Mulligan and Olivia Colman are the only nominees who have won more than once. Samantha Morton holds the record of most nominations with five, followed by Judi Dench with four.
In July 2022, it was announced that the performance categories would be replaced with gender-neutral categories, with both Best Actor and Best Actress merging into the Best Lead Performance category. Additionally, a category named Best Joint Lead Performance was created for "two (or exceptionally three) performances that are the joint focus of the film, especially where performances share a large number of scenes and screen time".
Winners and nominees
1990s YearActressFilmCharacter 1998 Kathy Burke Nil by Mouth Valerie Louise Goodall My Name Is Joe Sarah Downie Rachel Griffiths My Son the Fanatic Bettina/ Sandra Samantha Morton Under the Skin Iris Kelly Emma Thompson The Winter Guest Frances 1999 Emily Watson Hilary and Jackie Jacqueline du Pré Lara Belmont The War Zone Jessie Rachel Griffiths Hilary and Jackie Hilary du Pré Jane Horrocks Little Voice LV Gina McKee Wonderland Nadia
2000s YearActressFilmCharacter 2000 Gillian Anderson The House of Mirth Lily Bart Kate Ashfield The Low Down Ruby Brenda Blethyn Saving Grace Grace Trevethyn Emily Watson The Luzhin Defence Natalia Katkov 2001 Kate Ashfield Late Night Shopping Jody Susan Lynch Beautiful Creatures Dorothy Samantha Morton Pandaemonium Sara Coleridge Kate Winslet Enigma Hester Wallace 2002 Samantha Morton Morvern Callar Movern Collar Elaine Cassidy Disco Pigs Rent/Sinead Shirley Henderson Villa des Roses Ella Harriet Walter Olive Burrell 2003 Olivia Williams The Heart of Me Madeleine Kate Ashfield This Little Life Sadie McGregor Helena Bonham Carter The Heart of Me Dinah Samantha Morton In America Sarah Tilda Swinton Young Adam Ella Gault 2004 Imelda Staunton Vera Drake Vera Drake Eva Birthistle Ae Fond Kiss... Roisin Hanlon Scarlett Johansson Girl with a Pearl Earring Griet Natalie Press My Summer of Love Mona Anne Reid The Mother May 2005 Rachel Weisz The Constant Gardener Tessa Quayle Joan Allen Yes She Judi Dench Mrs Henderson Presents Mrs. Henderson Natasha Richardson Asylum Stella Raphael Emily Watson Wah-Wah Ruby Compton 2006 Kate Dickie Red Road Jackie Morrison Juliette Binoche Breaking and Entering Amira Simić Frances de la Tour The History Boys Mrs. Lintott Helen Mirren The Queen Queen Elizabeth II Robin Wright Breaking and Entering Liv 2007 Judi Dench Notes on a Scandal Barbara Covett Tannishtha Chatterjee Brick Lane Nazneen Ahmed Anne Hathaway Becoming Jane Jane Austen Sophia Myles Hallam Foe Kate Breck Kierston Wareing It's a Free World... Angela 2008 Vera Farmiga The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Elsa (Mother) Sally Hawkins Happy-Go-Lucky Pauline "Poppy" Cross Keira Knightley The Duchess Duchess Georgiana Samantha Morton The Daisy Chain Martha Conroy Kelly Reilly Eden Lake Jenny 2009 Carey Mulligan An Education Jenny Mellor Emily Blunt The Young Victoria Queen Victoria Abbie Cornish Bright Star Fanny Brawne Katie Jarvis Fish Tank Mia Williams Sophie Okonedo Skin Sandra Laing
2010s YearActressFilmCharacter 2010 Carey Mulligan Never Let Me Go Kathy H Sally Hawkins Made in Dagenham Rita O'Grady Andrea Riseborough Brighton Rock Rose Ruth Sheen Another Year Gerri Hepple Manjinder Virk The Arbor Lorraine Dunbar 2011 Olivia Colman Tyrannosaur Hannah MyAnna Buring Kill List Shel Rebecca Hall The Awakening Florence Cathcart Tilda Swinton We Need to Talk About Kevin Eva Khatchadourian Mia Wasikowska Jane Eyre Jane Eyre 2012 Andrea Riseborough Shadow Dancer Colette McVeigh Judi Dench The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Evelyn Greenslade Elle Fanning Ginger & Rosa Ginger Alice Lowe Sightseers Tina Meryl Streep The Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher 2013 Lindsay Duncan Le Week-End Meg Burrows Judi Dench Philomena Philomena Lee Scarlett Johansson Under the Skin The Alien Felicity Jones The Invisible Woman Nelly Ternan Saoirse Ronan How I Live Now Daisy 2014 Gugu Mbatha-Raw Belle Dido Elizabeth Belle Sameena Jabeen Ahmed Catch Me Daddy Laila Cheng Pei-pei Lilting Junn Keira Knightley The Imitation Game Joan Clarke Alicia Vikander Testament of Youth Vera Brittain 2015 Saoirse Ronan Brooklyn Eilis Lacey Marion Cotillard Macbeth Lady Macbeth Carey Mulligan Suffragette Maud Watts Charlotte Rampling 45 Years Kate Mercer Alicia Vikander The Danish Girl Gerda Wegener 2016 Sasha Lane American Honey Star Kate Dickie Couple in a Hole Karen Narges Rashidi Under the Shadow Shideh Hayley Squires I, Daniel Blake Katie Morgan Jodie Whittaker Adult Life Skills Anna 2017 Florence Pugh Lady Macbeth Katherine Lester Emily Beecham Daphne Daphne Frances McDormand Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Mildred Hayes Maggie Mulubwa I Am Not a Witch Shula Ruth Wilson Dark River Alice 2018 Olivia Colman The Favourite Queen Anne Gemma Arterton The Escape Tara Jessie Buckley Beast Moll Maxine Peake Funny Cow Funny Cow Rachel Weisz Disobedience Ronit Krushka 2019 Renée Zellweger Judy Judy Garland Jessie Buckley Wild Rose Rose-Lynn Harlan Holliday Grainger Animals Laura Sally Hawkins Eternal Beauty June Vicky Knight Dirty God Jade
2020s YearActressFilmCharacter 2020 Wunmi Mosaku His House Rial Bukky Bakray Rocks Olushola "Rocks" Omotoso Morfydd Clark Saint Maud Maud Claire Dunne Her Self Sandra Andrea Riseborough Luxor Hana 2021 Joanna Scanlan After Love Mary Caitríona Balfe Belfast Ma Carrie Coon The Nest Allison O'Hara Claire Rushbrook Ali & Ava Ava Ruth Wilson True Things Kate
Multiple nominations
5 nominations Samantha Morton
4 nominations Judi Dench
3 nominations Kate Ashfield Sally Hawkins Carey Mulligan Andrea Riseborough Emily Watson
2 nominations Jessie Buckley Olivia Colman Rachel Griffiths Scarlett Johansson Keira Knightley Saoirse Ronan Tilda Swinton Alicia Vikander Rachel Weisz
Multiple wins
2 wins Olivia Colman Carey Mulligan (consecutive)
See also Academy Award for Best Actress BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
References
External links Official website