Director: Andrea Arnold
Cast: Kaya Scodelario, James Howson, Oliver Milburn, Nichola Burley, Steve Evets
Certificate: 15

"You should treat him like a brother." "He's no brother of mine. He's a nigger." That's the sound of a fresh voice taking on Wuthering Heights. The shouts of swearing. The noise of wind. Andrea Arnold's natural adaptation of Emily Bronte's familiar novel sounds completely, breathtakingly modern.

It's the New Year, so it's time for the New Year's Honours list. Yes, well done Annie Lennox and all that, but some great awards have been dished out for film fans. Not just Andrea Arnold getting an OBE after directing the awesome "Michael Fassbender gets jiggy with an Essex girl" Fish Tank, or even that Sandy Powell - costume designer extraordinaire - picked up an OBE too. No, the best news is that David Suchet has been awarded a CBE.

He starred in The Bank Job, Flushed Away, and (most recently) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but Mr Suchet is best known and widely acclaimed for his excellent work in Wing Commander. But it also turns out that he goes by another name in some households. And that name is Hercule Poirot. Or to give him his full title: Hecule Poirot - CBE, bitch.

Mike Leigh has described Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt's decision to abolish the UK Film Council as "totally out of order". The announcement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sports came yesterday, shocking both the public and the UK film industry.

"It's very shocking indeed," the Vera Drake director told the BBC. "It's from left of field in a very sudden and devastating way." Leigh's not the only one against the decision, which will see the organisation, established by Labour to to develop and promote British films, completely disbanded. 

The coalition government are putting the move forward as a way of cutting costs. The Culture Secretary said that the aim was to form a "direct and less bureaucratic relationship with the British Film Institute" - the DCMS have stated that the funding of British films will continue, but have released no further details on who would be distributing the money (which is why they invented the UKFC in the first place).

It's been a good year for the Moon - it had its 40th birthday, and it got to star alongside Sam Rockwell in a brilliant British film. Now, it's year just got even better, because Duncan Jones' sci-fi won Best British Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) last night.

Jones also nabbed himself the Douglas Hiccox Award for Best Debut Director. But another helmer wasn't far behind - unsurprisingly, Andrea Arnold's phenomenal Fish Tank scooped up Best Director, along with Most Promising Newcomer for lead teen Katie Jarvis.

In a result predicted by everyone, the wonderful Carey Mulligan took home Best Actress for her schoolgirl in An Education, and Tom Hardy (every way her polar opposite) walked off with Best Actor for Bronson. But the most deserved of the night? Perhaps the sweary screenplay from In the Loop, Armando Ianucci's inspired political comedy, which was one of the best films of this year - expect that, at the very least, to be up for an Oscar. Maybe some of the others too. Like Let the Right One In, which won Best Foreign Film; easily earnt by the sweet Swedish fang-fest. 

For more on the BIFAs, head over to their website, or read on for the full list of results. 

Yes, the line-up for the British Independent Film Awards has been announced. And Fish Tank and Moon are kicking independent butt. Andrea Arnold's incredible feature has got itself 8 nods, with Duncan Jones' Moon clocking in with 7.

Other noms of note go to Jane Campion for Bright Star, Armando Ianucci's In the Loop and Lone Scherfig's An Education. The awards take place on Sunday 6th December, hosted by James Nesbitt and judged by such talent as Liam Cunningham and Eddie Marsan. If you can pick between these brilliant Brits, you're a better man than me.

Read on for the full list of nominees.

Director: Andrea Arnold
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kierston Wareing, Katie Jarvis, Charlotte Collins
Certificate: 15

If it's one thing British cinema is good at, it's kitchen sink dramas. But as our auteurs age with time, who in this modern society can take up the mantle? Step forward, Andrea Arnold, Oscar-winning Brit with a taste for the grit - if you want the kitchen sink, you bet your life she'll throw one at the camera.