‘My Father’s Shadow,’ ‘Pillion,’ ‘I Swear’ Score Top British Independent Film Award Noms

The British Independent Film Award nominations for 2025 have been unveiled, celebrating the past year of independently funded productions from the United Kingdom. Akinola Davies Jr.’s Cannes premiere “My Father’s Shadow,” a coming-of-age story set during the 1993 Nigerian presidential election, leads the pack with 12 nominations, including for Best British Independent Film.

Harry Lighton’s queer Bdsm romance “Pillion,” starring Alexander Skarsgård, follows with 10 nominations, as does Kirk Jones’ “I Swear,” about Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson. The other films up for Best British Independent Film were Harris Dickinson’s “Urchin” (six nominations) and James Griffiths’ “The Ballad of Wallis Island” (five). While not nominated in this category, “Die My Love” also did very well on Monday with eight nominations, including for director Lynne Ramsay and actress Jennifer Lawrence.

The other actors nominated for lead performance are Robert Aramayo for “I Swear,” Frank Dillane for “Urchin,” David Jonsson for “Wasteman,” Harry Melling for “Pillion,…