Colin Farrell has been nominated for best actor at the Moet British Independent Film Awards for his role in The Lobster.

Olivia Colman and Spectre’s Ben Whishaw are nominated for their supporting roles in the sci-fi film in which singletons have 45 days to find a partner. The film tops the nominations list, competing in seven categories including best British independent film, best director, best screenplay and producer of the year.

Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz
Colin Farrell and co-star Rachel Weisz (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/PA)

The film 45 Years, starring first-time nominees Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay as a couple whose marriage is shaken by the death of the husband’s first love, competes for six awards alongside Justin Kurzel’s gory retelling of Macbeth.

Michael Fassbender’s titular role as the Scottish Lord sees him up against Farrell, Courtenay, Tom Hardy – for his dual portrayal of the Kray twins in Legend – and Tom Hiddleston in High-Rise for the best actor gong.

Michael Fassbender in Macbeth
Michael Fassbender and his on-screen wife Marion Cotillard are nominated for Macbeth (Studio Canal)

In the best actress category, Suffragette’s Carey Mulligan contends with Rampling, Saoirse Ronan as a young Irish immigrant in Brooklyn, Alicia Vikander as the wife of the first recipient of gender reassignment surgery in The Danish Girl, and Marion Cotillard as the fearsome Lady Macbeth.

Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, has five nods for director, documentary, producer of the year, editing and best British independent film.

Carey Mulligan in Suffragette
Carey Mulligan in Suffragette (Pathe/20th Century Fox)

Completing the line-up for the latter category is Alex Garland’s Ex Machina – also nominated for best director, screenplay, design production and visual effects.

The Nick Hornby-penned Brooklyn also received five nominations.

Twenty-eight British feature films appear on the shortlist, which reads like a who’s who of the best in British acting talent.

 Saoirse Ronan and Domhnall Gleeson in Brooklyn
Nominees Saoirse Ronan and Domhnall Gleeson in Brooklyn (Twentieth Century Fox)

Up for best supporting actress are Helena Bonham Carter and Anne-Marie Duff for Suffragette, Sienna Miller for High-Rise and Julie Walters for Brooklyn.

Rounding off the major categories is best supporting actor which sees father-son duo Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson nominated for Suffragette and Brooklyn respectively, Luke Evans for High-Rise and Sean Harris for Macbeth.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on December 6 at Old Billingsgate – where Kate Winslet will receive her previously announced Variety Award.