The British Independent Film Awards has released its 2026 longlists for New Talent and Breakthrough Performance, naming 51 debut filmmakers across fiction and documentary and 14 performers ahead of the November 3 nominations announcement.
The New Talent categories include the Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director, with 14 fiction filmmakers longlisted: among them Oscar Hudson (Straight Circle), Molly Manners (Extra Geography), and Ashley Walters (Animol). Nine documentary debut directors are also in contention, including Robert Petit for Underland, a deep-earth documentary produced by Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures and narrated by Sandra Hüller. Best Debut Screenwriter and Breakthrough Producer complete the four debut categories, covering 13 writers and 15 producing credits.
The Breakthrough Performance longlist, sponsored by Netflix, names 14 actors. Laurie Kynaston (Lady), Florence Hunt (Queen at Sea), and Daniel Quinn-Toye (Sunny Dancer) are among those named. Animol places two performers on the list: Sekou Diaby and Tut Nyuot, with the film's director Ashley Walters also appearing in the Debut Director category.
Several titles surface across multiple categories. Straight Circle has entries in Debut Director, Debut Screenwriter, and Breakthrough Producer. Extra Geography appears in performance, writing, and direction. Surviving Earth carries longlisted names in both directing and writing.
The nominations across all four categories will be announced Tuesday, November 3. Winners will be revealed at the ceremony at the Roundhouse in London on Sunday, December 6.