The London Film Critics’ Circle is the latest awards body to honour the silent film The Artist with its Best Film prize.
The group also gave prizes to the film’s director, Michel Hazanavicius, and lead actor, Jean Dujardin.
The London critics picked We Need To Talk About Kevin as their best British film of the year and the best foreign language film was Iran’s A Separation, which also collected the screenplay and supporting actress awards.
Kenneth Branagh was the best supporting actor, for My Week with Marilyn.
His co-star Michelle Williams missed out in the best actress category to two of her fellow nominees: Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Lady Thatcher earned her the prize, shared with Anna Paquin, for the film Margaret.
One area where the London Film Critics’ Circle deserves particular praise – and no, I’m not a member – is its recognition of bodies of work, as well as individual performances. It gave its best British actress honour to Olivia Coleman, for both The Iron Lady and Tyrannosaur. Michael Fassbender was the best British actor for both Shame and A Dangerous Method. Its inclusion of Irish talent under the “British” banner is a less admirable quality of the awards.
The critics also look ahead to the talent of tomorrow. They honoured Andrew Haigh the Breakthough British filmmaker for Weekend, and Craig Roberts was the best young British performer of the year, for Submarine.
A full list of winners of the 32nd London Film Critics’ Circle Awards:
FILM OF THE YEAR
The Artist
CRITICS’ CIRCLE TOP 10 FILMS of 2011
1. The Artist
2. A Separation
3. Drive
4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
5. The Tree of Life
6. We Need to Talk About Kevin
7. Melancholia
8. Shame
9. Margaret
10. The Descendants
The Attenborough Award: BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR
We Need to Talk About Kevin
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
A Separation
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Senna
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Asghar Farhadi – A Separation
The Virgin Atlantic Award: BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER
Andrew Haigh – Weekend
ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR (Tied)
Anna Paquin – Margaret
Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Sareh Bayat – A Separation
BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Michael Fassbender – A Dangerous Method, Shame
The Moët & Chandon Award: BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Olivia Colman – The Iron Lady, Tyrannosaur
YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Craig Roberts – Submarine
The Sky 3D Award: TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Maria Djurkovic, production design – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Dilys Powell Award: EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Nicolas Roeg