Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley Among British Independent Film Awards Nominees

' '71' and 'Pride' lead the nominations, with 'The Imitation Game,' Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Fassbender also among the nominees

Irish thriller ’71 on Monday earned the most nominations for the 17th annual Moet British Independent Film Awards.

Yann Demange’s debut feature got nine nominations, including for best British independent film, best director, debut director, best screenplay, best actor for Jack O’Connell and best supporting actor for Sean Harris.

Pride, the all-star U.K. comedy about the LGBT movement’s involvement with the British miners’ strike in the 1980s, picked up seven nominations, including for best supporting actress for Imelda Staunton, while Catch Me Daddy, Frank and Mike Leigh's Cannes competition entry Mr Turner got five apiece.

Read more 'Pride' Screenwriter Reveals Plans for Musical Adaptation

In terms of big stars, it is down to The Imitation Game to bring home the BIFA bacon, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley getting best actor and actress nominations.

Major international shout-outs went to Alicia Vikander with a best actress nomination for Testament of Youth, Maggie Gyllenhaal for best supporting actress in Frank and Michael Fassbender for best supporting actor in Frank.

In the best international independent film category, nominations went to Blue Ruin, Boyhood, Fruitvale Station and The Babadook.

The Monday nominations event also saw Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper unveiled as the jury head to decide the 2014 award winners, which will be announced in a ceremony on Dec. 7.

Hooper’s The King’s Speech was a big winner at the BIFAs in 2010. Other past winners of the best film award include Slumdog Millionaire, Moon and The Constant Gardener.

Here is the complete list of nominees:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM

'71

Calvary

Mr Turner

Pride

The Imitation Game

BEST DIRECTOR

John Michael McDonagh – Calvary

Lenny Abrahamson – Frank

Matthew Warchus – Pride

Mike Leigh – Mr Turner

Yann Demange – '71

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]

Daniel Wolfe, Matthew Wolfe – Catch Me Daddy

Hong Khaou – Lilting

Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard – 20,000 Days on Earth

Morgan Matthews – X+Y

Yann Demange – '71

BEST SCREENPLAY

Graham Moore – The Imitation Game

Gregory Burke – '71

John Michael McDonagh – Calvary

Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan – Frank

Stephen Beresford – Pride

BEST ACTRESS

Alicia Vikander – Testament of Youth

Cheng Pei Pei – Lilting

Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle

Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game

Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

BEST ACTOR

Asa Butterfield – X+Y

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game

Brendan Gleeson – Calvary

Jack O'Connell – '71

Timothy Spall – Mr Turner

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Dorothy Atkinson – Mr Turner

Imelda Staunton – Pride

Maggie Gyllenhaal – Frank

Sally Hawkins – X+Y

Sienna Guillory – The Goob

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Andrew Scott – Pride

Ben Schnetzer – Pride

Michael Fassbender – Frank

Rafe Spall – X+Y

Sean Harris – ‘71

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER

Ben Schnetzer – Pride

Cara Delevingne – The Face of An Angel

Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Belle

Liam Walpole – The Goob

Sameena Jabeen Ahmed – Catch Me Daddy

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

'71

20,000 Days on Earth

Catch Me Daddy

Lilting

The Goob

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Chris Wyatt - Editing - '71

Dick Pope - Cinematography - Mr Turner

Robbie Ryan - Cinematography - Catch Me Daddy

Stephen Rennicks - Music – Frank

Tat Radcliffe - Cinematography - '71

BEST DOCUMENTARY

20,000 Days on Earth

Next Goal Wins

Night Will Fall

The Possibilities Are Endless

Virunga

BEST BRITISH SHORT

Crocodile

Emotional Fusebox

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Slap

The Karman Line

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM

Blue Ruin

Boyhood

Fruitvale Station

Ida

The Babadook

THE RAINDANCE AWARD

Flim: The Movie...

Gregor

Luna

Keeping Rosy

The Beat Beneath My Feet