Paul Mescal’s Aftersun scoops three British Independent Film craft awards

The British Independent Film Awards (Bifa) has that announced Paul Mescal’s latest drama Aftersun has won three of the top gongs in the craft category.

The film follows the story of Calum, played by Normal People star Mescal, and his daughter Sophie, played by newcomer Frankie Corio, on holiday in Turkey while Celia Rowlson-Hall portrays an adult Sophie, who looks back at the holiday 20 years on.

It is the first feature length film from Scottish director Charlotte Wells, inspired by fond memories of 90s package holidays, which had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August.

On Friday, Bifa announced the drama had scooped best cinematography, best editing and best music supervision – a new category which had been introduced this year.

Other craft winners included best production design for Living starring Bill Nighy; Florence Pugh’s The Wonder received best original music; while Lesley Manville’s Mrs Harris Goes To Paris took home best costume design and best casting went to Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean.

West End Cabaret star Jessie Buckley’s latest drama Men also won best effects, Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie’s Flux Gourmet took home the gong for best sound; and best make-up and hair went to Medusa Deluxe which stars Luke Pasqualino.

It was previously announced that Aftersun, exploring a father and daughter’s complex relationship, led the nominations with 16 nods in the awards’ first year with gender neutral acting categories.

Mescal and Corio both received a nod in the best joint lead performance category and will battle it out against Dame Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack for Good Luck To You, Leo Grande; Buckley and Rory Kinnear for Men; and Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright for The Silent Twins in the ceremony on December 4.

Aftersun is also up for best screenplay, the Douglas Hickox award (best debut director) and best director for Wells.

Similarly, the film will go head to head for the coveted best British independent film against Blue Jean, Sophie Hyde’s Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, Oliver Hermanus’s Living and Sebastian Lelio’s The Wonder.

As part of the organisation’s 25th anniversary, the body has made the move to award five acting accolades with no mention of “actor” or “actress” as well as adding a selection of new performance awards.

Bifa was created in 1998 and has since celebrated and promoted British independent cinema and filmmaking talent in the UK.

Winners will be announced at the Bifa award ceremony on December 4.