British Independent Film Awards: Emily Watson To Receive Richard Harris Award
Emily Watson will receive the honorary Richard Harris Award at the 2025 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs).
Introduced in 2002, the BIFAs hand out the Richard Harris Award to recognise an outstanding contribution by an actor to British film. Previous honorees include Samantha Morton, Riz Ahmed, Kristin Scott Thomas, Daniel Day-Lewis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julie Walters, Stephen Graham, and Sophie Okonedo.
“I’m delighted and deeply honoured to be receiving this award,” Watson said in a statement. “I’ve had the great privilege of spending time with Jared as an actor and raconteur, hearing thrilling wild tales of his dad and the force that he was. I’m so grateful to the Harris family for thinking of me. Truly an honour. Thank you, BIFA.”
The 28th BIFA awards ceremony takes place on November 30 at the Roundhouse in London. Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut feature, My Father’s Shadow, led this year’s nominations with 12 nods, including Best Director and Best Screenplay.
Directed by Davies Jr. from a screenplay he wrote with his brother, Wale, the film’s impressive haul also included nods in the Best British Independent Film, Best Debut Director, and Best Debut Screenwriter categories, alongside several craft nods, including Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design. Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye profiled Davies Jr. out of Cannes, where the film debuted. You can check out that profile here.
BIFA announced its craft winners last week. Harry Lighton’s Pillion and Die My Love, the latest feature from Scottish auteur Lynne Ramsay, each had two wins. See the full list of winners here.
