Ex Machina named big winner at British Independent Film Awards

Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor both took home special prizes on Sunday night

A still from the film Ex Machina, in which an AI seduces a man

Ex Machina emerged as the big winner at Sunday night’s British Independent Film Awards, taking home prizes for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Visual Effects.

The sci-fi thriller about a young programmer selected to take part in a pioneering experiment by examining the human qualities of a female AI is the directorial debut for The Beach writer Alex Garland, and stars Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson.

Elsewhere, Saoirse Ronan was named Best Actress for her turn in Brooklyn and Tom Hardy won Best Actor for his performance as Ronnie and Reggie Kray in hit gangster biopic Legend.

Olivia Colman was presented with the Best Supporting Actress prize for playing a hotel manager in The Lobster and Brendan Gleeson won his second gong in two years as Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette.

Oscar bet Room won Best International Independent Film while Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance, about Welsh villagers who breed a racehorse, beat Amy to Best Documentary.

Kate Winslet received the Variety Award for helping to focus global spotlight on the UK and Chiwetel Ejiofor took home the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution to British film by an actor.

The ceremony was hosted by Richard Ayoade at the Old Billingsgate in London.