London critics back Artist and Separation

Posted by: Jason Korsner  on 2012-01-19

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