Ken Loach's 'I, Daniel Blake' Leads British Independent Film Awards Nominations

I, Daniel Blake
"I, Daniel Blake," directed by Ken Loach, has received seven nominations at this year's British Independent Film Awards. Entertainment One

Ken Loach's latest film I, Daniel Blake leads this year's British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) nominations with seven nods.

The austerity drama, which opened in the U.K. in October, has won critical acclaim and was awarded the prestigious Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The film is up for the top prize, Best British Independent Film, as well as Best Director for Loach, Best Screenplay for writer Paul Laverty, Best Actor for titular star Dave Johns and Best Actress for Hayley Squires. Johns and Squires are also nominated in the Most Promising Newcomer category.

The second most-nominated films are American Honey, starring Shia LaBeouf and Sasha Lane, and comedy Adult Life Skills starring Jodie Whittaker. Both have six nominations apiece, including Best Actor and Best Actress nods for their lead stars.

Other notable nominations include Michael Fassbender in the Best Actor category for Trespass Against Us and Jamie Dornan in the Best Supporting Actor field for Anthropoid.

It was previously announced that James Bond and Moonlight actor Naomie Harris would receive the Variety Award, which recognizes "a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the U.K."

The British Independent Film Awards take place on December 4 in London.

2016 BIFA nominations—selected highlights:

Best British Independent Film

American Honey
Couple in a Hole
I, Daniel Blake
Notes on Blindness
Under the Shadow

Best International Independent Film

Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Mustang
Toni Erdmann

Best Actor

Dave Johns, I, Daniel Blake
Max Records, I Am Not a Serial Killer
Michael Fassbender, Trespass Against Us
Shia LaBeouf , American Honey
Steve Brandon, My Feral Heart

Best Actress

Hayley Squires, I, Daniel Blake
Jodie Whittaker, Adult Life Skills
Kate Dickie, Couple in a Hole
Narges Rashidi, Under the Shadow
Sasha Lane, American Honey

Best Director

Andrea Arnold, American Honey
Babak Anvari, Under the Shadow
Ben Wheatley, Free Fire
Ken Loach, I, Daniel Blake
Peter Middleton & James Spinney, Notes on Blindness

Best Supporting Actress

Avin Manshadi, Under the Shadow
Gemma Arterton, The Girl With All the Gifts
Naomie Harris, Our Kind of Traitor
Shana Swash, My Feral Heart
Terry Pheto, A United Kingdom

Best Supporting Actor

Arinze Kene, The Pass
Brett Goldstein, Adult Life Skills
Christopher Lloyd, I Am Not a Serial Killer
Jamie Dornan, Anthropoid
Sean Harris, Trespass Against Us

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