02 December 2019
Newsdesk
Renee Zellweger's awards season run is off to a great start as she won the Best Actress prize at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) on Sunday.
The star claimed the honour for her lead role in Judy Garland biopic Judy, but she was not present at the show, and the trophy was accepted on her behalf by the film's producer, David Livingstone.
Backstage at the London event, David told WENN that Renee had skipped the ceremony to look after her sick dog Chester back home in Los Angeles.
It was also a big night for Syrian civil war film For Sama, which was named Best British Independent Film and Best Documentary, and earned Best Director for Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts.
The Personal History of David Copperfield was the night's top winner, earning five awards in total, including Best Screenplay for Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell, and Best Supporting Actor for Hugh Laurie.
Meanwhile, Kristin Scott Thomas was presented with the 2019 Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film.
The full list of winners is as follows:
Best British Independent Film - For Sama
Best Director - Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts, For Sama
Best Screenplay - Armando Iannucci, The Personal History of David Copperfield
Best Actress - Renee Zellweger, Judy
Best Supporting Actress - Ruthxjiah Bellenea, The Last Tree
Best Actor - Josh O'Connor, Only You
Best Supporting Actor - Hugh Laurie, The Personal History of David Copperfield
Most Promising Newcomer - Sam Adewunmi, The Last Tree
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) - Harry Wootliff, Only You
Debut Screenwriter - Emma Jane Unsworth, Animals
Breakthrough Producer - Kate Byers and Linn Waite, Bait
The Discovery Award - Children of the Snow Land
Best Documentary - For Sama
Best British Short Film - Anna
Best International Independent Film - Parasite
Best Casting - The Personal History of David Copperfield
Best Cinematography - Beats
Best Costume Design - The Personal History of David Copperfield
Best Editing - For Sama
Best Effects - A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Best Make Up & Hair Design - Judy
Best Music - Wild Rose
Best Production Design - The Personal History of David Copperfield
Best Sound - Beats
The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film - Kristin Scott Thomas
The Special Jury Prize - Amanda Nevill