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6 December 2010
Last updated at 02:44 ET
By Tim Masters
Entertainment correspondent, BBC News
Colin Firth's latest film, The King's Speech, has won five prizes at the British Independent Film Awards (Bifa).
The period drama, which earned him the best actor prize for his role as the stammering King George VI, also won best British independent film.
Carey Mulligan won the award for best actress for her role in the big-screen adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's best-seller, Never Let Me Go.
Both films are not released in the UK until early next year.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
Firth said: "It's an improbable story about people who could have been consigned to the footnotes of history, and nobody's told it before.
"It was taken as a risk - somebody found the money - and I think it will pay off."
The film also took best supporting actor honours for Helena Bonham Carter (as Queen Elizabeth) and Geoffrey Rush (as the king's speech therapist Lionel Logue), and there was a prize for screenwriter David Seidler.
Firth, who is already attracting Oscar buzz for his role, refused to speculate on the film's chances during awards season.
"It could end tonight," he said. "It's already punched above its weight. It already got noticed at the festivals, it's funnier than we thought, it has the capacity to make people cry.
"I can't project myself into glories that aren't in place yet."
Bonham Carter admitted she was "slightly apprehensive" about the attention surrounding the film.
She told the BBC: "There's so much hype, I just hope people don't get immensely disappointed and resent it deeply when they see it."
The Bifa awards, hosted by James Nesbitt, took place at Old Billingsgate Market in London.
Bonham Carter was also presented with the Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film, while Liam Neeson received the Variety award.
Monster success Carey Mulligan, who was Oscar nominated for last year's An Education, said she hadn't expected to win for Never Let Me Go.
She admitted she had told her mum to stay at home instead of joining her at the ceremony, as she had done last year.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
"Now I regret that," Mulligan said. "But it's at home in London where I grew up and to have a platform to talk about our small independent films and the films that are the harder sell - not popcorn movies - is amazing."
Newcomer Gareth Edwards beat veteran Mike Leigh in the best director category for his low-budget film Monsters, which opened in UK cinemas at the weekend.
Monsters also won for best achievement in production and best visual effects. Edwards created the giant alien creatures in his film on a laptop in his bedroom.
"I always wanted to make a monster movie," said Edwards. "With my background in digital effects I felt like an alien invasion and giant monsters weren't out of the question."
But he admitted feeling uncomfortable about beating the likes of Leigh (Another Year), Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn.
"I didn't want to make eye contact with anyone when I walked up there," he said.
"I feel embarrassed because they are heroes of mine, because we made this small little film and these guys are going to go and win Oscars."
Joanne Froggatt, seen recently in ITV's period drama Downton Abbey, picked up most promising newcomer for her debut film role in In Our Name, the story of a female soldier who returns from a tour of duty in Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It means so much to me, but so much to our film as well because we were on such a micro budget and everybody worked so hard and became really passionate about the subject matter," she said.
"I've been a professional actress for 14 years but this my first role in a film and it's also my first award for my acting," the former Coronation Street star added.
"So to have the two together is an absolute dream come true - and with the success of Downton Abbey too this year has just been phenomenal."
The Douglas Hickox award for best debut director went to Clio Barnard for The Arbor, and A Prophet won best foreign film.
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The period drama, which earned him the best actor prize for his role as the stammering King George VI, also won best British independent film.
Carey Mulligan won the award for best actress for her role in the big-screen adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's best-seller, Never Let Me Go.
Both films are not released in the UK until early next year.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
It's already punched above its weight. It already got noticed at the festivals, it's funnier than we thought, it has the capacity to make people cry”
End Quote
Colin Firth on The King's Speech
Firth said: "It's an improbable story about people who could have been consigned to the footnotes of history, and nobody's told it before.
"It was taken as a risk - somebody found the money - and I think it will pay off."
The film also took best supporting actor honours for Helena Bonham Carter (as Queen Elizabeth) and Geoffrey Rush (as the king's speech therapist Lionel Logue), and there was a prize for screenwriter David Seidler.
Firth, who is already attracting Oscar buzz for his role, refused to speculate on the film's chances during awards season.
"It could end tonight," he said. "It's already punched above its weight. It already got noticed at the festivals, it's funnier than we thought, it has the capacity to make people cry.
"I can't project myself into glories that aren't in place yet."
Bonham Carter admitted she was "slightly apprehensive" about the attention surrounding the film.
She told the BBC: "There's so much hype, I just hope people don't get immensely disappointed and resent it deeply when they see it."
The Bifa awards, hosted by James Nesbitt, took place at Old Billingsgate Market in London.
Bonham Carter was also presented with the Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film, while Liam Neeson received the Variety award.
Monster success Carey Mulligan, who was Oscar nominated for last year's An Education, said she hadn't expected to win for Never Let Me Go.
She admitted she had told her mum to stay at home instead of joining her at the ceremony, as she had done last year.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
I didn't want to make eye contact with anyone when I walked up there. I feel embarrassed because they are heroes of mine, because we made this small little film and these guys are going to go and win Oscars”
End Quote
Monsters director Gareth Edwards on his win
"Now I regret that," Mulligan said. "But it's at home in London where I grew up and to have a platform to talk about our small independent films and the films that are the harder sell - not popcorn movies - is amazing."
Newcomer Gareth Edwards beat veteran Mike Leigh in the best director category for his low-budget film Monsters, which opened in UK cinemas at the weekend.
Monsters also won for best achievement in production and best visual effects. Edwards created the giant alien creatures in his film on a laptop in his bedroom.
"I always wanted to make a monster movie," said Edwards. "With my background in digital effects I felt like an alien invasion and giant monsters weren't out of the question."
But he admitted feeling uncomfortable about beating the likes of Leigh (Another Year), Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn.
"I didn't want to make eye contact with anyone when I walked up there," he said.
"I feel embarrassed because they are heroes of mine, because we made this small little film and these guys are going to go and win Oscars."
Joanne Froggatt, seen recently in ITV's period drama Downton Abbey, picked up most promising newcomer for her debut film role in In Our Name, the story of a female soldier who returns from a tour of duty in Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It means so much to me, but so much to our film as well because we were on such a micro budget and everybody worked so hard and became really passionate about the subject matter," she said.
"I've been a professional actress for 14 years but this my first role in a film and it's also my first award for my acting," the former Coronation Street star added.
"So to have the two together is an absolute dream come true - and with the success of Downton Abbey too this year has just been phenomenal."
The Douglas Hickox award for best debut director went to Clio Barnard for The Arbor, and A Prophet won best foreign film.
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