12 Years a Slave’ gets pre-Oscar boost at Critics’ Circle Awards
Steve McQueen: "The film creates such interesting, stimulating debate... it's been a privilege" The film, “12 Years a Slave” has received a pre-Oscars boost by winning the most prizes at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards in London. It was named film of the year, while Chiwetel Ejiofor won actor of the year, and co-star Lupita Nyong’o won best supporting actress. British director Steve McQueen said he had “felt so much love for this film in this country”. The awards took place exactly four weeks before the Oscars in Hollywood. 12 Years a Slave is considered the front-runner for best picture, and it has nine nominations in total, including McQueen for best director. It also has 10 nominations for the Bafta Film Awards, two weeks away on 16 February. The London Critics’ Circle ceremony, at London’s May Fair Hotel on Sunday, began on a sombre note as news broke of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death in New York. When film critic Jason Solomons opened the awards by...