Steve McQueen’s slave drama wins hat-trick of prizes.

Scroll down for full list of winners

12 Years a Slave receiveda pre-Oscars boost last night, winning three major prizes at the 34th London Critics’ Circle FIlm Awards.

Directed by Steve McQueen, the film tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a free man sold into slavery in the mid-19th century.

It was crowned Film of the Year at the London Critics’ event and also picked up prizes for lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and supporting actress Lupita Nyong’o.

Alfonso Cuarón was named best director for his space thriller Gravity, which was also recognised for the visual effects work of Tim Webber with the Technical Achievement Award.

Filth, an adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s corrupt cop novel, also picked up two prizes for actor James McAvoy and director Jon S Baird, who won Breakthrough British Filmmaker.

The only other film to win two awards was Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant, which was named British Film of the Year and won Conner Chapman Young British Performer of the Year for his performance as Arbor, a troubled youth who turns to collecting scrap metal with a friend to raise money.

The Coens picked up the screenwriter prize for Inside Llewyn Davis; Cannes winner Blue is the Warmest Colour won best foreign-language film; and The Act of Killing took home the documentary award.

Actor Gary Oldman was honoured with the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film.

34th London Critics’ Circle FIlm Awards

Film of the Year
12 Years a Slave

Foreign-language Film of the Year
Blue Is the Warmest Colour

Documentary of the Year
The Act of Killing

British Film of the Year
The Selfish Giant

Director of the Year
Alfonso Cuarón - Gravity

Screenwriter of the Year
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis

Actor of the Year
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave

Actress of the Year
Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine

Supporting Actor of the Year
Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips

Supporting Actress of the Year
Lupita Nyong’o - 12 Years a Slave

British Actor of the Year
James McAvoy - Filth / Trance / Welcome to the Punch

British Actress of the Year
Judi Dench - Philomena

Young British Performer of the Year
Conner Chapman - The Selfish Giant

Breakthrough British Filmmaker
Jon S Baird - Filth

Technical Achievement Award
Gravity - Tim Webber, special effects

Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film
Gary Oldman

Topics