Egyptian-British actor Amir El-Masry nominated for British Independent Film Award

The Bifa winners will be announced in February

Amir El-Masry has been nominated for a British Independent Film Award. Pawan Singh / The National 

Egyptian-British actor Amir El-Masry, 30, has been nominated for a British Independent Film Award.

The actor has been nominated for Best Actor for his role in Limbo, an offbeat comedy by Scottish writer-director Ben Sharrock that premiered in Toronto and is being screened at the Cairo International Film Festival this month.

The film follows four Syrian asylum seekers on a faraway island in Scotland as they enrol in cultural awareness classes while they wait for their application for political asylum to be processed.

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Last month, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker actor El-Masry was chosen as a Bafta Breakthrough talent by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta). The accolade "showcases and supports the next generation of creative talent in film, games and television in the UK, China, India and the US".

Psychological horror Saint Maud led Bifa nominations with 17 nods, followed by His House with 16, a thriller about a family from South Sudan who are struggling to adjust to their new life in an English town. Coming-of-age film Rocks has 15 nominations, with its two leads, Bukky Bakray and Kosar Ali, recognised for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Riz Ahmed's Mogul Mowgli also dominates nominations, receiving seven nods, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Debut Screenwriter and Best Music.

Riz Ahmed in 'Mogul Mowgli'

The British Independent Film Award winners will be announced in February. It has not yet been confirmed if it will be a virtual or in-person event.

Full list of British Independent Film Award nominations:

Best British independent film

Calm With Horses
The Father
His House
Rocks
Saint Maud

Best director

Sarah Gavron and associate director Anu Henriques, Rocks
Rose Glass, Saint Maud
Nick Rowland, Calm With Horses
Remi Weekes, His House
Florian Zeller, The Father

Best screenplay

Rose Glass, Saint Maud
Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson, Rocks
Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed, Mogul Mowgli
Remi Weekes, His House
Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton, The Father

Best actress

Bukky Bakray, Rocks
Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud
Clare Dunne, Herself
Wunmi Mosaku, His House
Andrea Riseborough, Luxor

Best actor

Riz Ahmed, Mogul Mowgli
Sope Dirisu, His House
Amir El-Masry, Limbo
Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Cosmo Jarvis, Calm With Horses

Best supporting actress

Niamh Algar, Calm With Horses
Kosar Ali, Rocks
Jennifer Ehle, Saint Maud
Ashley Madekwe, County Lines
Fiona Shaw, Kindred

Best supporting actor

Harris Dickinson, County Lines
Barry Keoghan, Calm With Horses
Alyy Khan, Mogul Mowgli
Merab Ninidze, The Courier
D'angelou Osei Kissiedu, Rocks

Douglas Hickox award (debut director)

Henry Blake, County Lines
Rose Glass, Saint Maud
Eva Riley, Perfect 10
Nick Rowland, Calm With Horses
Remi Weekes, His House

Breakthrough producer

Douglas Cox, Host [also produced by Emily Gotto, Samuel Zimmerman]
Daniel Emmerson, Calm With Horses
Irune Gurtubai, Limbo [also produced by Angus Lamont]
Oliver Kassman, Saint Maud [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]
Edward King, Martin Gentles, His House [also produced by Aidan Elliott, Roy Lee, Arnon Milchan]

Debut screenwriter

Riz Ahmed, Mogul Mowgli [also written by Bassam Tariq]
Rose Glass, Saint Maud
Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson, Rocks
Joe Murtagh, Calm With Horses
Remi Weekes, His House

Most promising newcomer

Niamh Algar, Calm With Horses
Kosar Ali, Rocks
Bukky Bakray, Rocks
Frankie Box, Perfect 10
Conrad Khan, County Lines

Best documentary

The Australian Dream
Being a Human Person
The Reason I Jump
Rising Phoenix
White Riot

Raindance discovery award

Justine
Looted
One Man and His Shoes
Perfect 10
Rose: A Love Story

Best British short film

Filipinana
The Forgotten C
The Long Goodbye
Mandem
Sudden Light

Best international independent film

Babyteeth
Les Miserables
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Nomadland
Notturno

Best casting

Calm With Horses
Saint Maud
His House
Limbo
Rocks

Best cinematography

Limbo
Saint Maud
Rocks
Mogul Mowgli
His House

Best costume design

The Secret Garden
Rocks
Saint Maud
Ammonite
Misbehaviour

Best editing

His House
The Father
Rocks
Host
Saint Maud

Best effects

Undergods
Saint Maud
His House

Best make up and hair design

Saint Maud
His House
Ammonite
Rocks
Misbehaviour

Best music

His House
Mogul Mowgli
The Reason I Jump
Rocks
Saint Maud

Best production design

His House
Misbehaviour
The Father
Undergods
Saint Maud

Best sound

His House
Saint Maud
Mogul Mowgli
The Reason I Jump
Host