[2] Founded in 2010,[3] the festival aims to showcase independent films from around the world with a particular focus on British talent.
The festival has previously been held in various locations throughout England, including Bournemouth,[4] Poole,[5] and Bury St Edmunds,[6] but has its roots at home in London, most often screening at the Cineworld in Leicester Square.
[7][8][9][10] The festival has become a highly anticipated event in the UK film calendar and has featured a number of notable films and filmmakers including Sian Clifford, James Cosmo, Emily Mortimer, Doug Milsome BSC ASC, Ryan Gage, April Pearson, Laura Whitmore[11] and Jason Flemyng.
Award categories include Best Feature Film,[12] Best Short,[13] Best Music Video,[14][15] Best Director and Best Actor/Actress[16] amongst others.
In addition to its typical in-person events, the British Independent Film Festival was also hosted online in 2020[17] and 2021[18] due to the COVID-19 pandemic.