British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) Announce Breakthrough Performer Longlist Including Ruaridh Mollica, Susan Chardy and Trio of ‘Kneecap’ Actors

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) today announced the longlist of twelve for Breakthrough Performance, including Sebastian‘s Ruaridh Mollica, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl’s Susan Chardy and the trio of JJ Ó Dochartaigh, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin from Kneecap, the Irish selection for the International Feature Film Oscar. The category is sponsored by Netflix.

They join the list of previous breakthrough performers spotlighted by BIFA, including past winners Vivian Oparah, Ben Whishaw, Jamie Bell, Naomi Ackie, Dev Patel, Jessie Buckley and Ashley Walters. 

BIFA and We Are Bridge partner again to deliver the Breakthrough Performer Program, which launched in 2023 to offer development and support to the talent longlisted in this category. Running over six months, the programme will include sessions covering career development, wellbeing, casting and financial literacy in addition to networking opportunities. This year’s program is supported by Independent Talent Group with additional contributions from CAM, Conway Van Gelder Grant, SISTER, Lark Management and donations from casting directors, producers and directors.

The final five nominees will be announced Thursday, November 5. Winners will be revealed at the BIFA awards ceremony on Sunday, December 8, which sees BIFA return to Camden’s iconic Roundhouse for its 27th edition.

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY NETFLIX

NYKIYA ADAMS for Bird 

JASON BUDA for Bird

SUSAN CHARDY for On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

JOE GILL for Treading Water

BILAL HASNA for Layla

DEBA HEKMAT for Last Swim

SAURA LIGHTFOOT LEON for Hoard

RUARIDH MOLLICA for Sebastian

JJ Ó DOCHARTAIGH for Kneecap

LIAM ÓG Ó HANNAIDH for Kneecap

NAOISE Ó CAIREALLÁIN for Kneecap

JASON PATEL for Unicorns