The King's Speech rings out in Bifa awards nominations

Oscar-tipped period drama The King's Speech is the early frontrunner in the British Independent Film awards after securing eight nominations . Tom Hooper's film, which stars Colin Firth as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, tells how the monarch overcame a stammer after unexpectedly becoming king in 1936 following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. Firth picked up a best actor nod, while Rush, Guy Pearce and another co-star, Helena Bonham Carter, received best supporting actor and actress nominations. The film also won nominations in the best film, best director and best screenplay categories. Other early leaders at the awards, which try to identify the best in British independent film-making, were the London film festival opener, Never Let Me Go, which garnered five nominations, and Chris Morris's terrorist satire Four Lions, which grabbed four, including a best director nod for the first time film-maker and a best actor nomination for star Riz Ahmed. Also in a strong position was docu-drama The Arbor, about the late Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar. It took six nominations and leads the race in the documentary category. In the major categories, The King's Speech, Four Lions, Kick-Ass, Monsters and Never Let Me Go will fight it out for best film, while Mike Leigh (Another Year), Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass), Tom Hooper (The King's Speech), Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and Mark Romanek (Never Let Me Go) are up for best director. Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Riz Ahmed, Scoot McNairy and Aidan Gillen are in the running for best actor, while incumbent Carey Mulligan will vie for the best actress gong with Manjinder Virk, Ruth Sheen, Andrea Riseborough and Sally Hawkins. The awards' directors, Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, said: "This year's nominations truly reflect the scope of independent film-making in the UK and regardless of budget each category showcases the wealth and variety of talent committed to making quality British films." The Bifa ceremony takes place on 5 December, and will once again be hosted by actor James Nesbitt, newly announced as Bofur the dwarf in Peter Jackson's forthcoming Hobbit films. Full list of nominations Best British independent film Four Lions Kick-Ass The King's Speech Monsters Never Let Me Go Best director Mike Leigh – Another Year Matthew Vaughn – Kick-Ass Tom Hooper – The King's Speech Gareth Edwards – Monsters Mark Romanek – Never Let Me Go The Douglas Hickox award for best debut director Debs Gardner-Paterson – Africa United Clio Barnard – The Arbor Rowan Joffe – Brighton Rock Chris Morris – Four Lions Gareth Edwards – Monsters Best screenplay Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Simon Blackwell, Christopher Morris – Four Lions Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn – Kick-Ass David Seidler – The King's Speech William Ivory – Made In Dagenham Alex Garland – Never Let Me Go Best actress Manjinder Virk – The Arbor Ruth Sheen – Another Year Andrea Riseborough – Brighton Rock Sally Hawkins – Made In Dagenham Carey Mulligan – Never Let Me Go Best actor Jim Broadbent – Another Year Riz Ahmed – Four Lions Colin Firth – The King's Speech Scoot McNairy – Monsters Aidan Gillen – Treacle Jr Best supporting actor Lesley Manville – Another Year Helena Bonham Carter – The King's Speech Rosamund Pike – Made In Dagenham Keira Knightley – Never Let Me Go Tamsin Greig – Tamara Drewe Best supporting actor Kayvan Novak – Four Lions Guy Pearce – The King's Speech Geoffrey Rush – The King's Speech Bob Hoskins – Made In Dagenham Andrew Garfield – Never Let Me Go Most promising newcomer Manjinder Virk – The Arbor Andrea Riseborough – Brighton Rock Tom Hughes – Cemetery Junction Joanne Froggatt – In Our Name Connor McCarron – Neds Best achievement in production The Arbor In Our Name Monsters Skeletons Streetdance 3D Raindance award Brilliant Love Jackboots On Whitehall Legacy Son Of Babylon Treacle Jr Best technical achievement The Arbor – Sound – Tim Barker Brighton Rock – Cinematography – John Mathieson The Illusionist – Animation – Sylvain Chomet The King's Speech – Production Design – Eve Stewart Monsters – Visual Effects – Gareth Edwards Best documentary The Arbor Enemies of the People Exit Through the Gift Shop Fire In Babylon Waste Land Best foreign film Dogtooth I Am Love A Prophet The Secret In Their Eyes Winter's Bone