The British-led US slave drama 12 Years a Slave has come away from the annual London Film Critics Circle awards as the big winner, being chosen as the Best Film, as well as picking the Best Actor award for Chiwetel Ejiofor and the prize for the Best Supporting Actress, for Lupita Nyong’o.

Cate Blanchett was named the critics’ best actress, for Blue Jasmine, and first-time actor Barkhad Abdi was honoured as the best supporting actor, for his role as the leading Somali pirate in Captain Phillips.

James McAvoy won the best British actor prize, for his work in Filth, Trance and Welcome to the Punch, while Dame Judi Dench’s role in Philomena saw her recognised as the best British actress.

Alfonso Cuaron was named as the best director for his work on Gravity, which also took the best technical achievement honours for its special effects.

The1960s folk-music film Inside Llewyn Davis earned the Coen brothers the best screenplay honours. Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant was the Best British Film, and one of its stars, Connor Chapman, took the award for the best Young British Performer. Filth’s director, Jon S Baird, won the Breakthrough British Filmmaker award.

The Act of Killing was the best documentary and the Cannes-winning Blue Is The Warmest Colour was named the best foreign-language film.

The London critics gave their career prize, the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film, to Gary Oldman.