Liam Neeson and Helena Bonham Carter to be honored

Liam Neeson and Helena Bonham Carter are to be honored at the 13th British Independent Film Awards on December 5.

Neeson will be honored with the Variety Award, which has previously been bestowed on JK Rowling (author of “Harry Potter”) and Helen Mirren. The award recognizes “an actor, director, writer or producer who has helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK”. In the past it has been awarded to Richard Curtis, Michael Sheen and Keira Knightley.

Bonham Carter will be awarded the Richard Harris Award which has been won by John Hurt and Bob Hoskins. She is also up for the best supporting actress award for her role in “The King’s Speech”. Last year the Richard Harris Award, an award for outstanding achievement, was given to Daniel Day Lewis.

“The King’s Speech” is up for eight awards. Other’s that have been nominated include Gareth Edwards' sci-fi film “Monsters”, with six nominations, along with “Never Let Me Go”, an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel and “The Arbor”, a documentary about the life of troubled Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar.