The Oscar-tipped dark comedy won best British independent film, plus best director for Yorgos Lanthimos and best actress for Olivia Colman.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite lived up to its name at the 21st edition of the British Independent Film Awards on Sunday night.

The Oscar-tipped dark comedy went into the ceremony — which was held in London at Old Billingsgate and hosted by Russell Tovey — with 13 nominations, and had already won five in the craft categories, which were revealed last month. But it left with a further five nods, including best British independent film, best director for Lanthimos, best screenplay, best actress for Olivia Colman (maintaining her perfect record of winning a BIFA with every nomination) and best supporting actress for Rachel Weisz. The Favourite's 10 awards is a BIFA record. 

Elsewhere on the night, Bart Layton's American Animals won two prizes for best editing and debut screenwriter (for Layton), the same number as Lynn Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here, which picked up best sound and music honors.

Joe Cole’s portrayal of an English boxer in a Thai prison in A Prayer Before Dawn earned him the best actor award, while Alessandro Nivola was named best supporting actor for his performance in Disobedience opposite Weisz and Rachel McAdams. 

The Turner Prize-winning artist Richard Billingham received the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut director for Ray & Liz, while the film’s producer Jacqui Davies won the award for breakthrough producer.

Beast star Jessie Buckley was named most promising newcomer.

Evelyn, directed by Orlando von Einsiedel (who won an Oscar for his short The White Helmets), was tapped as best documentary. 

As previously announced, Judi Dench was presented with the 2018 Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.

See the list of winners, below.

• Best British Independent Film

  

  American Animals
  Beast
  Disobedience  
  The Favourite - WINNER
  You Were Never Really Here

• Best Director

  

  Andrew Haigh, Lean on Pete
  Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite - WINNER
  Bart Layton, American Animals
  Michael Pearce, Beast
  Lynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here

• Best Screenplay

  

  Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite - WINNER
  Sebastian Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Disobedience
  Bart Layton, American Animals
  Michael Pearce, Beast
  Lynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here
• Best Actress

  

  Gemma Arterton, The Escape
  Jessie Buckley, Beast
  Olivia Colman, The Favourite - WINNER
  Maxine Peake, Funny Cow
  Rachel Weisz, Disobedience

• Best Actor

  

  Joe Cole, A Prayer Before Dawn - WINNER
  Steve Coogan, Stan & Ollie
  Rupert Everett, The Happy Prince
  Joaquin Phoenix, You Were Never Really Here
  Charlie Plummer, Lean on Pete

• Best Supporting Actress

  

  Nina Arianda, Stan & Ollie
  Rachel McAdams, Disobedience
  Emma Stone, The Favourite
  Rachel Weisz, The Favourite - WINNER
  Molly Wright, Apostasy
• Best Supporting Actor

  

  Steve Buscemi, Lean on Pete
  Barry Keoghan, American Animals
  Alessandro Nivola, Disobedience - WINNER
  Evan Peters, American Animals
  Dominic West, Colette

• Most Promising Newcomer

  

  Jessie Buckley, Beast - WINNER
  Michaela Coel, Been So Long
  Liv Hill, Jellyfish
  Marcus Rutherford, Obey
  Molly Wright, Apostasy

• The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)

  Richard Billingham, Ray & Liz - WINNER
  Daniel Kokotajlo, Apostasy
  Matt Palmer, Calibre
  Michael Pearce, Beast
  Leanne Welham, Pili
• Debut Screenwriter

  

  Karen Gillan, The Party's Just Beginning
  Daniel Kokotajlo, Apostasy
  Bart Layton, American Animals - WINNER
  Matt Palmer, Calibre
  Michael Pearce, Beast

• Breakthrough Producer

  Kristian Brodie, Beast
  Jacqui Davies, Ray & Liz - WINNER
  Anna Griffin, Calibre
  Marcie MacLellan, Apostasy
  Faye Ward, Stan & Ollie

• The Discovery Award

  

  The Dig, Andy Tohill, Ryan Tohill, Stuart Drennan, Brian J. Falconer
  Irene's Ghost, Iain Cunningham, Rebecca Mark-Lawson, David Arthur, Ellie Land
  A Moment in the Reeds, Mikko Makela, James Watson
  Super November, Douglas King, Josie Long
  Voyageuse, May Miles Thomas - WINNER
• Best Documentary

  

  Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story, Steve Sullivan
  Evelyn, Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara - WINNER
  Island, Steven Eastwood and Elhum Shakerifar
  Nae Pasaran, Felipe Bustos Sierra
  Under the Wire, Christopher Martin and Tom Brisley

• Best British Short Film

  The Big Day, Dawn Shadforth, Kellie Smith, Michelle Stein - WINNER
  Bitter Sea, Fateme Ahmadi, Emma Parsons
  The Field, Sandhya Suri, Balthazar de Ganay, Thomas Bidegain
  Pommel, Paris Zarcilla, Sebastian Brown, Ivan Kelava
  To Know Him, Ted Evans, Kellie Smith, Jennifer Monks, Michelle Stein

• Best International Independent Film

  

  Capernaum, Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Michelle Keserwani, Khaled Mouzanar,
  Michel Merkt
  Cold War, Pawel Pawlikowski, Janusz Glowacki, Ewa Puszczynska, Tanya Seghatchian
  The Rider, Chloe Zhao, Mollye Asher, Sacha Ben Harroche, Bert Hamelinck
  Roma, Alfonso Cuaron, Nicolas Celis, Gabriela Rodriguez - WINNER
  Shoplifters, Hirokazu Koreeda