Read The Times review of Control

A small-budget British film about Joy Division singer Ian Curtis scooped a host of awards last night.

Control, which was made for just £3 million and stars an unknown former warehouse worker in his first lead role, won five prizes at the British Independent Film Awards (Bifas).

The movie, which follows Curtis's tragic last years before he killed himself at the age of 23 on the eve of the band's first US tour, won Best British Independent Film.

Sam Riley, 27, who was plucked from obscurity to play the iconic singer, was named Most Promising Newcomer.

Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn also won Best Director for his first feature film.

Control, which he shot in black and white with a soundtrack including songs from New Order, David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, and Iggy Pop, also earned him the title of Best Debut Director.

Toby Kebbell, 25, who played Joy Division's manager and Factory Records partner Rob Gretton, won Best Supporting Actor.

The awards for Control threatened to overshadow some of the big-name winners of the night.

Daniel Craig was the recipient of The Variety Award, for putting British film under the international spotlight with his role as Bond, at the ceremony at London's Roundhouse.

Dame Judi Dench won Best Actress for her role as a history teacher in Notes on a Scandal while the film also took the Best Screenplay prize for Patrick Marber.

Ray Winstone won the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution to British film.

The Best Actor prize went to US actor Viggo Mortensen for his role in new David Cronenberg gangster film, Eastern Promises.

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten, Julien Temple's film about the Clash singer, won the Best Documentary prize.

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council, said: "This year's nominations and award winners really highlight the outstanding talent working in the UK with beautiful and thought-provoking films made by both established and emerging filmmakers.

"The Bifas are a great champion for the British film industry celebrating excellence and originality in independent filmmaking."

Bifa co-directors Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson said: "A decade ago, the need for an awards ceremony that celebrated British independent film talent was identified.

"We are now ten years on and Bifa has grown to celebrate the increasingly diverse range of talent out there.

"This year's winners are no exception to this rule, with Anton Corbijn winning the Douglas Hickox award and Judi Dench winning Best Actress."

The awards were selected by a panel which included filmmakers, actors and festival organisers.

Bifa supporters and patrons include Mike Figgis, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Samantha Morton, Bill Nighy, Meera Syal and Michael Winterbottom.

The winners

Best British Independent Film

Control

Best Actress

Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal

Best Actor

Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises

Best Supporting Actor/Actress

Toby Kebbell - Control

Most Promising Newcomer

Sam Riley - Control

Best Director

Anton Corbijn - Control

Best Screenplay

Patrick Marber - Notes on a Scandal

The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)

Anton Corbijn - Control

Best Documentary

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten

Best Achievement In Production

Black Gold

Best Technical Achievement

Mark Tildesley - Production Design - Sunshine

Best British Short

Dog Altogether

Best Foreign Independent Feature

The Lives of Others

The Raindance Award

The Inheritance

The Richard Harris Award

Ray Winstone

The Variety Award

Daniel Craig

Special Jury Prize

Andi Engel, Pamela Engel and Robert Beeson (founders of Artificial Eye)

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