Gardener Rakes In Awards

The awards season kicked off with a big fat bang last night with the British Independent Film Awards turning the Hammersmith Palais into a haven of jolly drinkers and goodie bag thieves (just as it should be). The honchos of the film world rubbed shoulders with nominees and non-thesp party-goers, while host James Nesbitt presided over proceedings with a chirpy wryness and a sassy Sinatra – the man does a mean ‘Come Fly With Me’.

The Constant Gardener was the night’s big winner scooping Best Film, Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes and Best Actress for Rachel Weisz. None of the stars could make the awards, but that meant the focus could remain firmly on Neil Marshall, who won Best Director for The Descent: “It’s the first time I’ve been to these awards and I’m glad to say it’s a bun fight. Better than that, it’s a British bun fight,” he said to the cheering room. “We’ve had exploding cars and evil aliens keeping up the tradition of bad taste in British cinema!” Coming offstage in a daze, he told Empire: “Flabbergasted I think is the word. I’m stunned, absolutely stunned. And very very happy."

The night’s oldest nominee – not so you’d notice: damn that woman’s moisturiser must be good - Thelma Barlow, for Mrs Henderson Presents, explained her delayed entrée into the film world as more than sheer procrastination. “It’s very exciting – I hadn’t done films before because I never got offered anything at the right time and I had Coronation Steet as well. It was wonderful working with Judi and so much fun to do.”

At the other end of the scale, Millions’ youngster Alex Nathan Etel (the youngst nominee) was completely unfazed by proceedings, pausing only to note: “There’s a lot more cameras than usual. Which is a bit weird.” He was the exception to the rule, as the night’s other young nominees were thoroughly excited by the lights and enormous lenses pointing in their direction.

Another best newcomer nominee (and eventual winner) Emily Barclay was actually shaking after walking down the red carpet. “Last year I was working in a video store and now I’m at the BIFAs!” she said. “All these cameras, it’s incredible. I was with my friends this afternoon practising poses in front of the mirror. I’m shaking, look!” Emily went on to ask the PRs if she could watch the other guests coming in – bless.

She’d have had to move speedily to catch Keira Knightley, who nipped in and out of the carpet so fast you could almost see her dress burn – memo for next time: bring a great big camera and pretend to be the telly – but looked understandably excited to be taking away Variety’s UK Personality of the Year award. It’s hard to believe she’s only 20, better than exams anyway.

Following close behind, the lovely Tilda Swinton, winner of the Richard Harris award for being generally excellent and up next as the White Witch in The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe: “Narnia was such a rush. We got helicoptered to the set every day. I didn’t feel like a star, I felt like I was in a star’s chopper! Then I went from to New Jersey and spent two days filming with Jim Jarmusch and it was like coming home.”

Festival director Annie Griffin won the debut director award and was disamingly starstruck by Ken Loach, who presented her with the trophy. “I’m actually so, totally surprised!” she said. “Sometimes you think ‘Oh, I won’t think that I’ll win so I won’t be disappointed’, but I really didn’t see it coming. I’m completely gobsmacked and embarrassed. They were really good films that we were up against, really strong.”

Time then to roll on a thoroughl unembarrassed Jake West, director of the £20k Razorblade Smile and now winner of the Raindance Prize with his “British alien slapstick alien horror comedy” Evil Aliens. “It’s quite amazing to win something, you get so used to people telling you you’re shit all the time that it’s quite nice to be told otherwise,” he said. “I sent it to a lot of industry companies and their immediate reaction was ‘Does it have to be a splatter horror film?’” If it gets snapped up by countries around the world and invited to some of the most prestigious festivals around, we think the answer can only be yes.