More wins for the Artist at London Critics' Circle Film Awards winners

32nd LONDON FILM CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARDS

32nd London Critics' Circle Film Awards winners in full: FILM OF THE YEAR The Artist (Entertainment)

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 (Artificial Eye)

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
A Separation (Artificial Eye)

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Senna (Universal)

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist (Entertainment)

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation (Artificial Eye)

The Virgin Atlantic Award: BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER
Andrew Haigh - Weekend (Peccadillo)

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Jean Dujardin - The Artist (Entertainment)

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR (Tied)
Anna Paquin - Margaret (Fox)
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé)

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn (Entertainment)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Sareh Bayat - A Separation (Artificial Eye)

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Michael Fassbender - A Dangerous Method (Lionsgate), Shame (Momentum)

The Moët & Chandon Award: BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Olivia Colman - The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé), Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal)

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Craig Roberts - Submarine (StudioCanal)

The Sky 3D Award: TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Maria Djurkovic, production design - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

The Dilys Powell Award:
EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Nicolas Roeg

NB. Please note that both Irish and UK talent are eligible in all British categories.

‘THE ARTIST’ MAKES A BIG NOISE WITH THREE AWARDS AT THE 32nd LONDON FILM CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARDS

London, 19 January 2012: Silent film THE ARTIST took home three big awards at the 32nd London Film Critics’ Circle Awards: Film of the Year, Director of the Year and Actor of the Year. Director Michel Hazanavicius and actor Jean Dujardin were both at the event at BFI Southbank to collect their awards.

Asghar Farhadi’s Berlin winner A SEPARATION also took home three awards winning Foreign Language Film of the Year, Screenwriter of the Year for Asghar Farhadi and Supporting Actress of the Year for Sareh Bayat. All three awards were collected on behalf of the film by executive producer Negar Eskandarfar.

THE IRON LADY took home two awards, Meryl Streep tying the award for Actress of the Year and Olivia Colman winning The Moët & Chandon Award: British Actress of the Year for her performances in THE IRON LADY and TYRANNOSAUR, collecting the award in person. Anna Paquin was the other recipient of the Actress of the Year award for her performance in Kenneth Lonergan’s drama MARGARET.

Kenneth Branagh collected his Supporting Actor of the Year award for his turn as Laurence Olivier in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. Michael Fassbender collected the British Actor of the Year award for his performances as Carl Jung in A DANGEROUS METHOD and as a sex addict in SHAME.

Director Lynne Ramsay was present to collect The Attenborough Award: British Film of the Year for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. Asif Kapadia collected his Documentary of the Year award for SENNA. Andrew Haigh collected The Virgin Atlantic Award: Breakthrough British Film-maker for WEEKEND. Craig Roberts collected the Young British Performer of the Year for his lead role in SUBMARINE. Maria Djurkovic was present to receive The Sky 3D Award for Technical Achievement for her production design in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY.

Nicolas Roeg collected The Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film from his dear friend and collaborator Donald Sutherland. Also present on the red carpet this evening were Carey Mulligan, Jeremy Irvine, Edith Bowman, Barry Norman, Yasmin Paige, John Boyega, Michael Smiley, Carol Morley, Zawe Ashton, Peter Straughan, Luc Roeg and Robyn Slovo.

Chairman of the London Film Critics Circle, Jason Solomons, commented:
"Judging from the quality of films and performances honoured tonight, it is clear that the critics - who see every film, not just those with ‘awards campaigns’ behind them - have an increasingly influential voice in awards races. Our wide-range of viewing has thrown up great surprises and championed small films, shining a light on new, exciting, challenging and thrilling work from around the world of film. Without the enthusiasm of critics, terrific films such as ‘The Artist’, ‘A Separation’ and ‘Margaret’ and amazing performances such as those by Olivia Colman and Michael Fassbender would not be receiving the wider, global attention occasions such as this can inspire. It was also a thrill to see director Nic Roeg honoured and witness the huge respect and admiration from film-makers and critics for this artist's incredible, still-groundbreaking body of work."

This year's edition of the Film Critics' Circle Awards was again presented by chairman Jason Solomons. It was held for the second time at BFI Southbank, in aid of their charity partner, the BFI Archive, to help with the preservation and restoration of British film, in particular Hitchcock's nine silent features, as part of the BFI's landmark 'Rescue the Hitchcock 9 Campaign'. The Awards were presented in partnership with Virgin Atlantic.
Since its first edition in 1980, these awards have become one of the most anticipated and glamorous ceremonies in the film calendar. In recent years, guests and award winners have included Colin Firth, Annette Bening, David Fincher, Christian Bale, Lesley Manville, Andrew Garfield, Aaron Sorkin, Carey Mulligan, Quentin Tarantino, Sam Taylor-Wood, Aaron Johnson, Sienna Miller, Martin Scorsese, Daniel Craig, Emily Mortimer, James McAvoy, Vanessa Redgrave, Sir Michael Caine, Emma Thompson, Marion Cotillard, Paul Scofield, Lord Attenborough, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet.







For further information, please contact:

Claire Gascoyne / Rob Deacon / Aneeka Verma / Liberty Green
Tel: +44 (0)20 7292 8330
Email: name.surname@premierpr.com
Website: www.premierpr.com

The 32nd London Critics’ Circle Film Awards nominations were as follows:

FILM OF THE YEAR
The Artist (Entertainment)
Drive (Icon)
A Separation (Artificial Eye)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)
The Tree of Life (Fox)

The Attenborough Award:
BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR
The Guard (StudioCanal)
Kill List (StudioCanal)
Shame (Momentum)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)
We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Mysteries of Lisbon (New Wave)
Poetry (Arrow)
Le Quattro Volte (New Wave)
A Separation (Artificial Eye)
The Skin I Live In (Fox/Pathé)

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (Picturehouse)
Dreams of a Life (Dogwoof)
Pina (Artificial Eye)
Project Nim (Icon)
Senna (Universal)

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation (Artificial Eye)
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist (Entertainment)
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life (Fox)
Lynne Ramsay - We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)
Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive (Icon)

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation (Artificial Eye)
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist (Entertainment)
Kenneth Lonergan - Margaret (Fox)
Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash - The Descendants (Fox)

The Virgin Atlantic Award:
BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER
Richard Ayoade - Submarine (StudioCanal)
Paddy Considine - Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal)
Joe Cornish - Attack the Block (StudioCanal)
Andrew Haigh - Weekend (Peccadillo)
John Michael McDonagh - The Guard (StudioCanal)

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
George Clooney - The Descendants (Fox)
Jean Dujardin - The Artist (Entertainment)
Michael Fassbender - Shame (Momentum)
Ryan Gosling - Drive (Icon)
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Dunst - Melancholia (Artificial Eye)
Anna Paquin - Margaret (Fox)
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé)
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn (Entertainment)

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Simon Russell Beale - The Deep Blue Sea (Artificial Eye)
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn (Entertainment)
Albert Brooks - Drive (Icon)
Christopher Plummer - Beginners (Universal)
Michael Smiley - Kill List (StudioCanal)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Sareh Bayat - A Separation (Artificial Eye)
Jessica Chastain - The Help (Disney)
Vanessa Redgrave - Coriolanus (Lionsgate)
Octavia Spencer - The Help (Disney)
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom (StudioCanal)

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Tom Cullen - Weekend (Peccadillo)
Michael Fassbender - A Dangerous Method (Lionsgate), Shame (Momentum)
Brendan Gleeson - The Guard (StudioCanal)
Peter Mullan - Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal), War Horse (Disney)
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

The Moët & Chandon Award:
BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Olivia Colman - The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé), Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal)
Carey Mulligan - Drive (Icon), Shame (Momentum)
Vanessa Redgrave - Anonymous (Sony), Coriolanus (Lionsgate)
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)
Rachel Weisz - The Deep Blue Sea (Artificial Eye)

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
John Boyega - Attack the Block (StudioCanal)
Jeremy Irvine - War Horse (Disney)
Yasmin Paige - Submarine (StudioCanal)
Craig Roberts - Submarine (StudioCanal)
Saoirse Ronan - Hanna (Universal)

The Sky 3D Award:
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Manuel Alberto Claro, cinematography - Melancholia (Artificial Eye)
Paul Davies, sound design - We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)
Maria Djurkovic, production design - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)
Dante Ferretti, production design - Hugo (Entertainment)
Alberto Iglesias, original score - The Skin I Live In (Fox/Pathé)
Chris King & Gregers Sall, editing - Senna (Universal)
Joe Letteri, visual effects - Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Fox)
Cliff Martinez, original score - Drive (Icon)
Robert Richardson, cinematography - Hugo (Entertainment)
Robbie Ryan, cinematography - Wuthering Heights (Artificial Eye)

The Dilys Powell Award:
EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Nicolas Roeg

NB. Please note that both Irish and UK talent are eligible in all British categories.

The 32nd London Critics’ Circle Film Awards nominations by film:

6 nominations
Drive (Icon)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal)

5 nominations
A Separation (Artificial Eye)
We Need to Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)

4 nominations
The Artist (Entertainment)
Shame (Momentum)

3 nominations
The Guard (StudioCanal)
Tyrannosaur (StudioCanal)
Submarine (StudioCanal)

2 nominations
Attack the Block (StudioCanal)
Coriolanus (Lionsgate)
The Deep Blue Sea (Artificial Eye)
The Descendants (Fox)
The Help (Disney)
Hugo (Entertainment)
The Iron Lady (Fox/Pathé)
Kill List (StudioCanal)
Margaret (Fox)
Melancholia (Artificial Eye)
My Week With Marilyn (Entertainment)
Senna (Universal)
The Skin I Live In (Fox/Pathé)
The Tree of Life (Fox)
War Horse (Disney)
Weekend (Peccadillo)

1 nomination
Animal Kingdom (StudioCanal)
Anonymous (Sony)
Beginners (Universal)
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (Picturehouse)
A Dangerous Method (Lionsgate)
Dreams of a Life (Dogwoof)
Hanna (Universal)
Mysteries of Lisbon (New Wave)
Pina (Artificial Eye)
Le Quattro Volte (New Wave)
Poetry (Arrow)
Project Nim (Icon)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Fox)
Wuthering Heights (Artificial Eye)


Notes to Editors

About The Critics’ Circle
Established in 1913, The Critics' Circle is the oldest organisation of its kind in the world, with more than 400 members who work in the UK media as critics of drama, art and architecture, music, film and dance. The Film Section has more than 120 voting members working as film critics, journalists and broadcasters, and has presented its awards annually since 1980.

About the London Critics' Circle Film Awards
Since its first edition in 1980, the London Critics' Circle Film Awards have become one of the most anticipated and glamorous ceremonies in the annual film calendar. In recent years guests and award winners have included Quentin Tarantino, Carey Mulligan, Sienna Miller, Martin Scorsese, Daniel Craig, James McAvoy, Vanessa Redgrave, Sir Michael Caine, Kevin Spacey, Emma Thompson, Marion Cotillard, Lord Attenborough, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett and Albert Finney. Last year’s ceremony was no exception and drew a star-studded red carpet with guests including Colin Firth, Aaron Sorkin, Sam Taylor-Wood, Rosamund Pike, Mike Leigh and Dilys Powell Award recipient, Kristin Scott Thomas.

About the BFI
The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:
• Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema
• Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations
• Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK
• Investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work
• Promoting British film and talent to the world
• Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences

The BFI Southbank is open to all. BFI members are entitled to a discount on all tickets. BFI Southbank Box Office tel: 020 7928 3232. Unless otherwise stated tickets are £9.50, concs £6.75 Members pay £1.50 less on any ticket. Website www.bfi.org.uk/southbank
Tickets for FREE screenings and events must be booked in advance by calling the Box Office to avoid disappointment
BFI Filmstore
The BFI Filmstore is stocked and staffed by BFI experts with over 1,200 book titles and 1,000 DVDs to choose from, including hundreds of acclaimed books and DVDs produced by the BFI.
The benugo bar & kitchen
Eat, drink and be merry in panoramic daylight. benugo’s décor is contemporary, brightly lit and playful with a lounge space, bar and dining area. The place to network, hang out, unpack a film, savour the best of Modern British or sip on a cocktail.

There’s more to discover about film and television through the BFI. Our world-renowned archival collections, cinemas, festivals, films, publications and learning resources are here to inspire you.

About The Hitchcock 9
Rescue the Hitchcock 9 is the BFI’s £2 million fundraising campaign to enable the BFI’s ambitious project to restore and preserve Alfred Hitchcock’s nine surviving silent films and stage screenings for new audiences to enjoy with newly commissioned live music scores launched as part of the London 2012 Festival.
Hitchcock's early films are among the finest achievements of British silent cinema. His subsequent films refined his techniques of stunning visual composition, richly cinematic storytelling linked to dramatic invention, which are uniquely Hitchcock.
The surviving nitrate materials for these films bear the marks of natural wear and tear over the decades. New digital techniques mean that the BFI’s team of technical experts are now in a position to restore scratched and damaged negatives and produce much improved viewing copies.
The BFI are actively seeking more funds to complete the restorations and to enable once in a lifetime events in 2012, from Hitchcock devotees, film lovers or anyone who cares about our cultural history. Even small amounts to help the BFI reach its target and members of the public who would like to save an important and historic film can contribute by visiting www.bfi.org.uk/saveafilm