The Empire Awards was an annual British awards ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in the local and global film industry. Winners were awarded the Empire Award statuette. The awards, first presented in 1996, were presented by the British film magazine Empire with the winners voted by the readers of the magazine.
The 23rd Empire Awards was the final ceremony, held on 18 March 2018 in London to honour films released in 2017. The awards were sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey from the 14th Empire Awards and were thenceforth officially called the Jameson Empire Awards. The official sponsor of the Awards changed to Rakuten TV for the 23rd Empire Awards. The Empire Awards ceremonies were discontinued after 2018 for unknown reasons.
Empire Awards categories
Award categories
Best Actor: 1996 to 2018
Best Actress: 1996 to 2018
Best Director: 1996 to 2018
Best Male Newcomer: 2012 to 2018
Best Female Newcomer: 2012 to 2018
Best Film: 1996 to 2018
Best British Film: 1996 to 2018; In 2002 it was known as "Sky Movies Best British Film"
Best Comedy: 2006 to 2018
Best Horror: 2006 to 2018
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 2006 to 2018; In 2009 it was known as "Best Sci-Fi/Superhero"
Best Thriller: 2006 to 2018
Best Soundtrack: 2008–2009, 2016–2018
Best Animated Film: 2016 to 2018
Best Documentary: 2016 to 2018
Best Screenplay: 2016 to 2018
Best Makeup And Hairstyling: 2016 to 2018
Best Costume Design: 2016 to 2018
Best Production Design: 2016 to 2018
Best Visual Effects: 2016 to 2018
Best TV Series: 2016 to 2018
Best Actor in a TV Series: 2018
Best Actress in a TV Series: 2018
Retired awards
Best British Actor: 1996 to 2005
Best British Actress: 1996 to 2005
Best British Director: 1997 to 2001; 2005
Best Supporting Actor: 2014
Best Supporting Actress: 2014
Best Newcomer: 1996 to 2011; From 1996 to 2002 it was known as "Best Debut" (was split into Male and Female Newcomer categories in 2012)
Scene of the Year: 2003 to 2007; From 2003 to 2006 it was known as "Sony Ericsson Scene of the Year"; In 2007 it was known as "Scene of the Year"
The Art of 3D: 2012 to 2013
Done In 60 Seconds Award: 2008 to 2014
Best Short Film: 2016 to 2017
Honorary Empire Awards
Honorary awards
As of the 19th Empire Awards four honorary awards were handed out:
Empire Hero Award: 2010 to 2018
Empire Icon Award: 2006; 2008 to 2011; 2014
Empire Inspiration Award: 1997; 1999 to 2002; 2004 to 2006; 2008; 2010 to 2018
Empire Legend Award: 2012 to 2013; 2015 to 2017; Legend of our Lifetime Award: 2014; 2018
Retired honorary awards
Contribution to Cinema Award: 2000 only
Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema Award: 2005 to 2006; Outstanding Contribution To British Film: 2008 to 2010; Outstanding Contribution: 2013 only
Independent Spirit Award: 2002 to 2005
Lifetime Achievement Award: 1996 to 2003; 2006; Career Achievement Award: 2004 only
Movie Masterpiece Award: 1999 to 2000
Empire Special Honorary Awards
Actor Of Our Lifetime: 2009 only
Action Hero of Our Lifetime: 2014 only
Legend of Our Lifetime: 2014; 2018
Icon of the Decade: 2005 only
Heath Ledger Tribute: 2009 only