Technically film awards are an all year thing. I never get the hang of it until it get to Oct/Nov time and all the internet and media in general start whispering 'Oscar' in people's ears. But the awards start around the time of festivals. Film festivals fuel the 'awards' nominations and the awards try to entice an audience. For the non award films from October to February, it's a bit cold out there.
Starting from March, films start to filter throught to festivals like Sundance then moving into Summer they filter in Cannes. Not to mention the many other festivals that grant awards. Then Summer blockbusters usuallu occupy the screens, but by September, going into October, other prestigious film festivals grant awards and shower acclaim on those who are worthy (or not worthy). By October Oscar buzz has started and in full swing by November with nominations for different ceremoines to follow. Ending in the awards season in January to February. Thus is the circle/cycle of 'awards' films.
Hitting the ground running are the Moet British Independent Film Awards. I'm pleased to see that The Lobster and Macbeth but sadly no best director nod to Sarah Gavron and in fact not many women at all nominated full stop.
Here are the nominations with my wish list highlighted, some I highlighted twice because I can't pick a favourite. For the complete list you can have a look at the BFI website: HERE
Best British independent film
45 YEARS Tristan Goligher, Andrew Haigh
AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia
EX MACHINA Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Alex Garland
THE LOBSTER Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos
MACBETH Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Laura Hastings-Smith, Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie, Justin Kurzel
Best director
45 YEARS Andrew Haigh
AMY Asif Kapadia
EX MACHINA Alex Garland
THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos
MACBETH Justin Kurzel
Best actress
MARION COTILLARD Macbeth
CAREY MULLIGAN Suffragette
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING 45 Years
SAOIRSE RONAN Brooklyn
ALICIA VIKANDER The Danish Girl
Best actor
TOM COURTENAY 45 Years
COLIN FARRELL The Lobster
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Macbeth
TOM HARDY Legend
TOM HIDDLESTON High-Rise
Best supporting actress
HELENA BONHAM CARTER Suffragette
OLIVIA COLMAN The Lobster
ANNE-MARIE DUFF Suffragette
SIENNA MILLER High-Rise
JULIE WALTERS Brooklyn
Best supporting actor
LUKE EVANS High-Rise
BRENDAN GLEESON Suffragette
DOMHNALL GLEESON Brooklyn
SEAN HARRIS Macbeth
BEN WHISHAW The Lobster
Best screenplay
45 YEARS Andrew Haigh
BROOKLYN Nick Hornby
EX MACHINA Alex Garland
HIGH-RISE Amy Jump
THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou
The Douglas Hickox Award (best debut director)
THE HALLOW Corin Hardy
KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY Paul Katis
NINA FOREVER Chris & Ben Blaine
SLOW WEST John Maclean
THE SURVIVALIST Stephen Fingleton
Best documentary
AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia
DARK HORSE: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF DREAM ALLIANCE Judith Dawson, Louise Osmond
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD Bous De Jong, Al Morrow, Jerry Rothwell
PALIO James Gay-Rees, John Hunt, Cosima Spender
A SYRIAN LOVE STORY Elhum Shakerifar, Sean McAllister
Winners will be announced on 6th December.