| 7th British Independent Film Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best in British independent film |
| Date | 30 November 2004 |
| Site | Hammersmith Palais,London |
| Hosted by | Richard Jobson |
| Official website | www |
| Highlights | |
| Best Film | Vera Drake |
| Most awards | Vera Drake (6) |
| Most nominations | Dead Man's Shoes (8) |
The7th British Independent Film Awards, held on 30 November 2004 and hosted byRichard Jobson,[1] honoured the best Britishindependent films of2004. For the second year in succession, the award ceremony was held at theHammersmith Palais,London.[2]Mike Leigh'speriod drama,Vera Drake swept the board, winning every category but one in which it was nominated.[3][4][5][6]
As per previous years, only films intended for theatrical release, and those which had a public screening to a paying audience either on general release in the UK or at a British film festival between 1 October 2003 and 30 November 2004 were eligible for consideration. In addition, they needed either to have been produced / majority co-produced by a British company, or in receipt of at least 51% of their budget from a British source or qualified as a British Film underDCMS guidelines. Lastly, they could not be solely funded by a single studio.[7]
Shortlists were announced byJames Purefoy on 26 October 2004 atSoho House in London.Dead Man's Shoes led with eight nominations,[8][9] but would fail to win any category in which it was nominated. Winners in fourteen categories were selected from the shortlists and a further three were awarded entirely at the jury's discretion, whose make up includedAnthony Minghella,Helena Bonham Carter,Christian Slater,Cate Blanchett,Rosamund Pike,Lynne Ramsay,Sam Taylor-Wood,Skin,Mark Cousins, Laura De Casto (MD,Tartan Films),Antonia Bird,David Aukin,John Akomfrah andStewart Till.[7] A new category,The Raindance Award, honouring exceptional achievement for filmmakers working against the odds was introduced in this year.[10]