SCIENCE fiction movie Moon has been named best British independent film at The British Independent Film Awards.

Its director, Duncan Jones (the son of legendary singer David Bowie), was also recognised with the Douglas Hickox award for best debut director.

The film is a moving account of space worker Sam Bell’s lonely stint on a lunar base and his attempts to get home once things start to go wrong.

The BIFAs exist to celebrate independently funded movies and were awarded at a ceremony at the Brewery in London. They are now in their 12th year.

Further awards went to Carey Mulligan, who picked up best actress for her performance in coming-of-age drama An Education, and Tom Hardy, who beat Sam Rockwell and Peter Capaldi to the best actor prize for his role in Bronson.

Essex drama Fish Tank, which had gone into the ceremony with the most nominations (eight), took home two: Andrea Arnold won best director and Katie Jarvis was named most promising newcomer.

Anne-Marie Duff took best the supporting actress award for Nowhere Boy, Sam Taylor-Wood’s film about the formative years of John Lennon, and Looking for Eric‘s John Henshaw was named best supporting actor for his role alongside former Manchester United footballer Eric Cantona.

Armando Iannucci’s Westminster satire In The Loop took a highly deserved best screenplay.

The ceremony, which was hosted by James Nesbitt, also gave out two special awards to screen veterans Daniel Day-Lewis and Sir Michael Caine.

Sir Michael took the Variety Award while the Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Film went to Day-Lewis.

This year’s jury included Idris Elba, star of The Wire, Irish actor Liam Cunningham and Brick Lane director Sarah Gavron.

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