Mumbai remembered as Millionaire takes top honours

Director Danny Boyle has paid tribute to the devastated city of Mumbai in accepting the British Independent Film Award for Slumdog Millionaire, his urban fairytale set on the streets of the troubled Indian city.

\"It\'s a city with a big heart that\'s been wounded this week, but it will recover,\" he said.

Boyle\'s film follows a young Indian man as he rises from a life on the streets and attempts to reconnect with his lost love by appearing on the Hindi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

The film took out top honours for best film and best director for Boyle, and most promising newcomer for Dev Patel. Its resounding win at the BIFAs will only add to the Oscar buzz that is already surrounding the film.

Political drama Hunger was also a big winner on the night, with Steve McQueen honoured as a first-time director, and best actor honours for Michael Fassbender\'s transformative turn as hunger striking political prisoner Bobby Sands.

Best foreign film went to Ari Folman\'s animated memoir Waltz With Bashir, and Man on Wire about Philippe Petit\'s tiptoed tightrope between New York\'s Twin Towers, was named best documentary. The full list of winners is as follows:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM

Slumdog Millionaire

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]

Steve McQueen - Hunger

BEST SCREENPLAY

Martin McDonagh - In Bruges

BEST ACTRESS

Vera Farmiga - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

BEST ACTOR

Michael Fassbender - Hunger

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Alexis Zegerman - Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Eddie Marsan - Happy-Go-Lucky

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER

Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

The Escapist

RAINDANCE AWARD

Zebra Crossings

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Cinematography - Sean Bobbitt - Hunger

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Man on Wire

BEST BRITISH SHORT

Soft

BEST FOREIGN FILM

Waltz with Bashir

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD (for Outstanding Contribution to British Film)

David Thewlis

THE VARIETY AWARD

Michael Sheen

THE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

Joe Dunton