Critically acclaimed drama Aftersun was the big winner at the British Independent Film Awards – taking home seven gongs including the night’s main prize.

The film, which stars Normal People’s Paul Mescal, was named best British independent film, while director Charlotte Wells won three awards – best director, best debut director and best screenplay.

It also won three BIFA craft awards for cinematography, editing and music.

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Aftersun follows the story of Calum (Mescal) and his daughter Sophie, played by newcomer Frankie Corio, during a holiday in Turkey, with Celia Rowlson-Hall portraying an adult Sophie looking back at the trip 20 years later.

A coming-of-age drama, while Mescal’s character is seen laughing with his daughter when swimming in the sea or singing karaoke, in private moments he is shown drinking, smoking and crying, clearly struggling.

The film had led the nominations with 16 nods in the ceremony’s first year with gender-neutral acting categories. As part of the organisation’s 25th anniversary, the body made the move to give out five acting prizes with no mention of the words “actor” or “actress”, and also added a selection of new performance awards.

Best lead performance went to Rosy McEwen and best supporting performance to Kerrie Hayes for their roles in the 1980s-set Blue Jean by Georgia Oakley, who also picked up the prize for best debut screenwriter.

Safia Oakley-Green won the award for best breakthrough for her performance in The Origin, Andrew Cumming’s feature about a nomadic tribe facing an ancient threat, while Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright were named the winners of the best joint lead performance accolade, for their roles as siblings who communicate only with each other in The Silent Twins.

For her 30-year career in acting and directing, Samantha Morton was honoured with the Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.

Read more: Aftersun’s Paul Mescal on ‘potentially toxic’ issue of men not looking after mental health

Other prizes went to Our River… Our Sky, about neighbours caught in Baghdad during the civil war of 2006, which took home the gong for best ensemble, while Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person In The World was named best international independent film.

BIFA was created in 1998 and has since celebrated and promoted British independent cinema and filmmaking talent in the UK. The 25th ceremony was hosted by Ben Bailey Smith and took place in Old Billingsgate, London, on Sunday.

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