From Caribbean360

British-Caribbean director Steve McQueen’s historical drama continued its winning form with three gongs, including Best Film, as the race to the Oscars gathered momentum.

LONDON, England, Friday February 7, 2014 – “12 Years a Slave,” the historical biopic of Solomon Northup, a free man abducted and sold into slavery, is even more highly favoured to score at the Academy Awards (Oscars) since its winning streak continued by dominating the British Critics’ Circle Awards on Sunday.

Director Steve McQueen, who was born in London of Grenadian and Trinidadian parents, fell short of Best Director recognition, with that honour going to Alfonso Cuaron for his work on the space thriller “Gravity.”

The British-Caribbean director nevertheless scored with the Best Film award, duplicating the kudos already clocked at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles last month.

Also keeping the historical drama ahead of the pack were Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong’o, who took Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively – two awards they were expected to win, and will, again, be hoping to take home from the Oscars.

While Ejiofor is already an established and respected actor, Lupita Nyong’o stunned audiences with her performance as Patsy in McQueen’s drama, especially given that it was her first-ever full feature film.

The young actress is now considered to be one of Hollywood’s hottest new prospects, a designation that hasn’t escaped the attention of “12 Years” co-star Brad Pitt, who reportedly wants to take her under his wing and mentor her.

Pitt and his long-time love Angelina Jolie have invited the starlet to stay to discuss what they can work on with Brad’s Plan B Entertainment Company, according to a source quoted in British magazine Grazia.

Meanwhile, McQueen’s masterpiece has received nine Oscar nominations including Best Picture. It falls slightly behind conmen caper “American Hustle” and astronaut odyssey “Gravity” with 10 nominations each in the race for the motion picture industry’s most coveted prizes.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will end the suspense and the 2014 awards season when it presents this year’s Oscars at a ceremony hosted by comedienne Ellen DeGeneres in Los Angeles on March 2.

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