British Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performance

British Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performance
Awarded forBest Performance by a Newcomer
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBIFA
First awarded1998
Currently held byVivian Oparah for Rye Lane (2023)
Websitewww.bifa.film

The British Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performance is an annual award given by the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA). The award was first presented in the 1998 ceremony, until 2020 the category was presented as Most Promising Newcomer.

Actress Laila Morse was the first recipient of this award for her performance as Janet in Nil by Mouth. The category with a wider meaning of "newcomer", including new actors but also directors, cinematographers, editors, etc., since 2001 the category is directed towards only actors.

According to BIFA, the category is for "British performers taking their first significant role in a theatrical feature film", it also states that "eligibility of performers with significant theatre or TV credits will be determined by the Nomination Committee".[1] The category includes both leading and supporting performances.

Winners and nominees

1990s

Most Promising Newcomer
Year Recipient Film Character
1998
(1st)
[2]		 Laila Morse Nil by Mouth Janet
Enda Hughes (director) Flying Saucer Rock'n'Roll
James Breese (director) My Funny Valentine
Jim Pilkington (director) Pocket
Simon Rumley (writer/director) Strong Language
1999
(2nd)
[3]		 Lara Belmont The War Zone Jessie
Keri Arnold The Darkest Light Catherine
Simon Bowles (production designer) Lighthouse
Alwin H. Küchler (cinematographer) Ratcatcher

2000s

Best Newcomer (On Screen)
Year Performer Film Character
2000
(3rd)
[4]		 Jamie Bell Billy Elliot Billy Elliot
Neil Fitzmaurice Going Off Big Time Mark Clayton
Dina Korzun Last Resort Tanya
Chris Beattie Purely Belter Gerry McCarten
Greg McLane Sewell
Lewis McKenzie There's Only One Jimmy Grimble Jimmy Grimble
Best Newcomer (Off Screen)
Year Recipient Film
2000
(3rd)
[4]		 Justine Wright (film editor) One Day in September
Damian Bromley (cinematographer) Going Off Big Time
Alison Dominitz (production designer) Hotel Splendide
Courtney Pine (composer) It Was an Accident
Igor Jadue-Lillo (cinematographer) The Low Down
Most Promising Newcomer
Year Performer Film Character
2001
(4th)
[5]		 Ben Whishaw My Brother Tom Tom
Natalia Verbeke Jump Tomorrow Alicia
Ingrid de Souza Princesa Fernanda
Mark Letheren South West 9 Mitch
2002
(5th)
[6][7]		 Martin Compston Sweet Sixteen Liam
Parminder Nagra Bend It Like Beckham Jesminder "Jess" Kaur Bhamra
William Ruane Sweet Sixteen Pinball
Kathleen McDermott Morvern Callar Lanna
2003
(6th)
[8][9]		 Harry Eden Pure Paul
Chiwetel Ejiofor Dirty Pretty Things Okwe/Olatokumbo Fadipe
Romola Garai I Capture the Castle Cassandra Mortmain
Jamie Sives Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Wilbur
2004
(7th)
[10]		 Ashley Walters Bullet Boy Ricky
Atta Yaqub Ae Fond Kiss... Casim Khan
Toby Kebbell Dead Man's Shoes Anthony
Emily Blunt My Summer of Love Tamsin
Nick Frost Shaun of the Dead Ed
2005
(8th)
[11]		 Emily Barclay In My Father's Den Celia
Rupert Friend The Libertine Billy Downs
Samina Awan Love + Hate Naseema
Alexander Nathan Etel Millions Damian Cunningham
Thelma Barlow Mrs Henderson Presents Lady Margot Conway
2006
(9th)
[12][13]		 Thomas Turgoose This Is England Shaun Fields
Rafi Gavron Breaking and Entering Mirsad "Miro" Simić
Harry Treadaway, Luke Treadaway Brothers of the Head Tom Howe, Barry Howe
Dominic Cooper The History Boys Stuart Dakin
Samuel Barnett David Posner
Jodie Whittaker Venus Jessie
2007
(10th)
[14][15]		 Sam Riley Control Ian Curtis
Imogen Poots 28 Weeks Later Tammy
Matthew Beard And When Did You Last See Your Father? Blake
Bradley Cole Exhibit A Andy King
Kierston Wareing It's a Free World... Angela
2008
(11th)
[16][17]		 Dev Patel Slumdog Millionaire Jamal Malik
Asa Butterfield The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Bruno
Ayush Mahesh Khedekar Slumdog Millionaire Jamal (toddler)
Bill Milner Son of Rambow Will Proudfoot
Will Poulter Lee Carter
2009
(12th)
[18][19]		 Katie Jarvis Fish Tank Mia Williams
George MacKay The Boys Are Back Harry
Hilda Péter Katalin Varga Katalin Varga
Christian McKay Me and Orson Welles Orson Welles
Edward Hogg White Lightnin' Jesco White

2010s

Year Performer Film Character
2010
(13th)
[20][21]		 Joanne Froggatt In Our Name Private Suzy Jackson
Manjinder Virk The Arbor Lorraine Dunbar
Andrea Riseborough Brighton Rock Rose
Tom Hughes Cemetery Junction Bruce Pearson
Conor McCarron Neds John McGill
2011
(14th)
[22][23]		 Tom Cullen Weekend Russell
Jessica Brown Findlay Albatross Emelia
John Boyega Attack the Block Moses
Craig Roberts Submarine Oliver Tate
Yasmin Paige Jordana Bevan
2012
(15th)
[24][25]		 James Floyd My Brother the Devil Rashid
Paul Brannigan The Angels' Share Robbie
Eloise Laurence Broken Skunk
Zawe Ashton Dreams of a Life Joyce Carol Vincent
Elliot Tittensor Spike Island Tits
2013
(16th)
[26][27]		 Chloe Pirrie Shell Shell
Harley Bird How I Live Now Piper
Caity Lotz The Machine Ava/The Machine
Jake Macapagal Metro Manila Oscar Ramirez
Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas The Selfish Giant Arbor, Swifty
2014
(17th)
[28][29]		 Sameena Jabeen Ahmed Catch Me Daddy Leila
Gugu Mbatha-Raw Belle Dido Elizabeth Belle
Cara Delevingne The Face of an Angel Melanie
Lliam Walpole The Goob "Goob" Taylor
Ben Schnetzer Pride Mark Ashton
2015
(18th)
[30][31]		 Abigail Hardingham Nina Forever Holly
Milo Parker Mr Holmes Roger Munro
Bel Powley A Royal Night Out Princess Margaret
Agyness Deyn Sunset Song Chris Guthrie
Mia Goth The Survivalist Milja
2016
(19th)
[32][33]		 Hayley Squires I, Daniel Blake Katie Morgan
Sennia Nanua The Girl with All the Gifts Melanie
Dave Johns I, Daniel Blake Daniel Blake
Steve Brandon My Feral Heart Luke
Letitia Wright Urban Hymn Jamie Harrison
2017
(20th)
[34][35]		 Naomi Ackie Lady Macbeth Anna
Harry Michell Chubby Funny Oscar
Harry Gilby Just Charlie Charlie Lyndsay
Cosmo Jarvis Lady Macbeth Sebastian
Lily Newmark Pin Cushion Iona
2018
(21st)
[36][37]		 Jessie Buckley Beast Moll
Molly Wright Apostasy Alex
Michaela Coel Been So Long Simone
Liv Hill Jellyfish Sarah Taylor
Marcus Rutherford Obey Leon
2019
(22nd)
[38][39]		 Samuel Adewunmi The Last Tree Femi
Lorn Macdonald Beats Spanner
Vicky Knight Dirty God Jade Nugent
Roxanne Scrimshaw Lynn + Lucy Lynn
Honor Swinton Byrne The Souvenir Julie

2020s

Year Performer Film Character
2020
(23rd)
[40][41]		 Kosar Ali Rocks Sumaya
Niamh Algar Calm with Horses Ursula
Conrad Khan County Lines Taylor
Frankie Box Perfect 10 Leigh
Bukky Bakray Rocks Olushola "Rocks" Omotoso
2021
(24th)
[42] 		Nell Barlow Sweetheart AJ
Lauryn Ajufo Boiling Point Andrea
Max Harwood Everybody's Talking About Jamie Jamie New / Mimi Me
Jude Hill Belfast Buddy
Ellora Torchia IN THE EⱯRTH Alma
2022
(25th)
[43] 		Safia Oakley-Green Out of Darkness Beyah
Frankie Corio Aftersun Sophie
Leo Long I Used to Be Famous Stevie
Kíla Lord Cassidy The Wonder Anna O'Donnell
Rosy McEwen Blue Jean Jean
2023
(25th)
[44] 		Vivian Oparah Rye Lane Yas
Le'Shantey Bonsu Girl Ama
Lola Campbell Scrapper Georgie
Priya Kansara Polite Society Ria Khan
Mia McKenna-Bruce How to Have Sex Tara
2024
(27th)
[45]		 Nykiya Adams Bird Bailey
Susan Chardy On Becoming a Guinea Fowl Shula
Saura Lightfoot-Leon Hoard Maria
Ruaridh Mollica Sebastian Max Williamson
Jason Patel Unicorns Aysha

See also

References

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  3. ^ "The Awards 1999". British Independent Film Awards. 24 October 1999. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The Awards 2000". British Independent Film Awards. 24 October 2000. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
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  10. ^ Dawtrey, Adam (November 30, 2004). "'Drake' takes the cake". Variety. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
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