“The Favourite” revolves around the manipulations and betrayals of Queen Anne’s court, but it’s inspiring a lot of love and loyalty from audiences and awards committees. The Olivia Colman-Rachel Weisz-Emma Stone dark comedy swept the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), taking home a record 10 trophies, and is continuing to impress at the box office.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest won five BIFAs at the awards ceremony last night, including the top honor, Best British Independent Film. With its five previously-announced crafts awards, the film took 10 BIFAs in all, Deadline confirms.
Colman nabbed Best Actress for her turn as the mentally and physically deteriorating Queen Anne. Weisz received Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Lady Sarah, the Queen’s cunning and trusted confidante.
“The Favourite” scribes Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara won Best Screenplay, while Lanthimos took Best Director. Four of its five crafts awards were presented to women: Best Casting (Dixie Chassay), Best Costume Design (Sandy Powell), Best Make Up & Hair Design (Nadia Stacey), and Best Production Design (Fiona Crombie).
Meanwhile, “The Favourite” is also living up to its name at the domestic box office. The film expanded its theatrical run this past Friday, and The New York Times reports it grossed $1.1 million from 34 locations, or a $32,500-per-screen average. “That figure is in line with early results for ‘Lady Bird’ (A24), which went on to collect $79 million worldwide last year, and surpasses the initial ticket sales for ‘The Shape of Water’ (Fox Searchlight), which took in nearly $200 million worldwide and won the 2018 Oscar for best picture.”
“The Favourite” debuted November 23 with the best opening screen average of the year. It opened in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, netting $105,000 per theater.
“A younger audience is finding ‘The Favourite’ along with older cinephiles,” said Frank Rodriguez of Fox Searchlight, the film’s distributor. “It’s performing really well in art houses but also in hipper, cooler houses like the Alamos and the Regal Union Square.”
And it’s likely to keep drawing audiences. “The Favourite” will expand its run to 100 theaters this Friday, December 7.
Check out all of the women BIFA winners below. List adapted from Deadline.
The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film
Judi Dench
Best British Independent Film
THE FAVOURITE Yorgos Lanthimos, Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara, Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday
Best Screenplay sponsored by BBC Films
DEBORAH DAVIS, TONY McNAMARA The Favourite
Best Actress sponsored by MAC
OLIVIA COLMAN The Favourite
Best Supporting Actress
RACHEL WEISZ The Favourite
Most Promising Newcomer
JESSIE BUCKLEY Beast
Breakthrough Producer
JACQUI DAVIES Ray & Liz
The Discovery Award sponsored by Raindance
VOYAGEUSE May Miles Thomas
Best Documentary
EVELYN Orlando von Einsiedel, Joanna Natasegara
Best British Short Film supported by BFI NETWORK
THE BIG DAY Dawn Shadforth, Kellie Smith, Michelle Stein
Best International Independent Film sponsored by Champagne Taittinger
ROMA Alfonso Cuarón, Nicolás Celis, Gabriela Rodriguez
Best Casting sponsored by Casting Society of America & Spotlight
DIXIE CHASSAY The Favourite
Best Costume Design
SANDY POWELL The Favourite
Best Make Up & Hair Design
NADIA STACEY The Favourite
Best Production Design
FIONA CROMBIE The Favourite