Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut Aftersun was the big winner at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) on Sunday.

The drama, which stars Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio as a father and daughter who go on holiday in Turkey, scooped seven awards at the prizegiving in London.

The feature received the night’s top prize, Best British Independent Film, while Wells also won Best Director, The Douglas Hickox Award for Debut Director and Best Screenplay. It also took home three craft prizes: Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Music Supervision.

Blue Jean, directed by Georgia Oakley, also received a boost in recognition, with the Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance awards going to Rosy McEwen and Kerrie Hayes, respectively, and Oakley winning Best Debut Screenwriter.

A new category was added to this year’s BIFAs: Best Joint Lead Performance. Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright, who play twins who can only communicate with each other in The Silent Twins, received the newly created award.

The 2022 BIFAs were held at Old Billingsgate in London.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best British Independent Film: Aftersun

Best Director: Charlotte Wells – Aftersun

Best Screenplay: Charlotte Wells – Aftersun

Best Lead Performance: Rosy McEwen – Blue Jean

Best Supporting Performance: Kerrie Hayes – Blue Jean

Best Joint Lead Performance: Tamara Lawrance, Letitia Wright – The Silent Twins

Best Ensemble Performance: Our River… Our Sky ensemble

Breakthrough Performance: Safia Oakley-Green – The Origin

The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director): Charlotte Wells – Aftersun

Best Debut Director – Feature Documentary: Kathryn Ferguson – Nothing Compares

Best Debut Screenwriter: Georgia Oakley – Blue Jean

Breakthrough Producer: Nadira Murray – Winners

The Raindance Discovery Award: Winners

Best International Independent Film: The Worst Person In The World

Best Feature Documentary: Nothing Compares

Best British Short Film: Too Rough

Best Cinematography: Gregory Oke – Aftersun

Best Editing: Blair McClendon – Aftersun

Best Effects: David Simpson – Men

Best Production Design: Helen Scott – Living

Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan – Mrs Harris Goes To Paris

Best Make-Up & Hair Design: Eugene Souleiman, Scarlett O’Connell – Medusa Deluxe

Best Original Music: Matthew Herbert – The Wonder

Best Sound: Tim Harrison, Raoul Brand, Cassandra Rutledge – Flux Gourmet

Best Music Supervision: Lucy Bright – Aftersun

Best Casting: Shaheen Baig – Blue Jean

The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film: Samantha Morton

The Special Jury Prize: Open Door.

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