A dying actor’s last Hamlet puts ‘Elsinore’ ahead in the British indie film race
The Andrew Scott drama earned 12 British Independent Film Award nominations, ahead of eight for I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning and seven for Animol.
BIFA 2026 NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED · BIFA · British Independent Film Awards
BIFA Nominations 2026: Elsinore, I See Buildings, Animol Lead
‘Elsinore’, ‘I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning’ lead Bifa 2026 nominations
Andrew Scott drama Elsinore leads British independent film award nominations
Virginia Film Festival
A leading role onstage and off
Elsinore, the drama starring Andrew Scott as actor Ian Charleson, led the 2026 British Independent Film Award nominations announced in London on Tuesday, with 12 nods. The field includes Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning with eight and Ashley Walters’ directing debut Animol with seven.bifa
Scott is nominated for lead performance, Simon Stone for direction and Billie Piper for supporting performance. Elsinore is also up for best British independent film, alongside I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, Effi o Blaenau, Queen at Sea and Tender Loving Care.variety
The story behind the performance
Scott plays Charleson, the Chariots of Fire actor who took on Hamlet at London’s National Theatre while living with AIDS. Charleson died in 1990; the film follows him as the demands of the role intersect with his declining health. Olivia Colman plays his doctor.theguardian +1
The film opened the BFI London Film Festival and received the international People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Its seven craft nominations include cinematography, editing, costume design and original music.screendaily +1
An eclectic field
BIFA’s lead performance category is gender-neutral. Scott’s fellow nominees include Juliette Binoche for Queen at Sea, Erin Doherty for Faith and Tut Nyuot for Animol. Nyuot and Animol co-star Sekou Diaby are also nominated for breakthrough performance, while Walters is up for best debut director.variety +1
I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning is nominated for ensemble performance as well as film and director. The Welsh-language Effi o Blaenau and dementia drama Queen at Sea each earned six nominations.screendaily
What happens next
The nominations span 39 British feature films. The cinema of the year shortlist was chosen by cinemagoers from almost 80 entrants; a jury will choose the winner.bifa
Voting in the craft categories runs from November 4 to 16, with those winners announced November 24. The remaining awards will be presented at London’s Roundhouse on December 6.bifa +1