{"id":2948,"date":"2012-01-20T11:46:01","date_gmt":"2012-01-20T11:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecliffedge.com\/?p=2948"},"modified":"2015-04-21T11:32:48","modified_gmt":"2015-04-21T11:32:48","slug":"the-artist-a-separation-wow-london-critics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecliffedge.com\/?p=2948","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Artist\u2019, \u2018A Separation\u2019 wow London critics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Michael Fassbender was named British actor of the year for ‘Shame’ and ‘A Dangerous Method’<\/p><\/div>\n

By Ray Bennett<\/p>\n

Entertainment\u2019s \u201cThe Artist\u201d and Artificial Eye\u2019s \u201cA Separation\u201d were the big winners with three prizes apiece at the 32nd annual London Film Critics Circle Awards presented on Thursday.<\/p>\n

French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius was on hand to collect the awards for best film and best director joined by star Jean Dujardin, who was named actor of the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Separation\u201d won as best foreign language film and the film\u2019s director Asghar Farhadi won for best screenplay. The film\u2019s Sereh Bayat was named best supporting actress. The two could not attend and producer Negar Eskandarfar accepted the awards on their behalf.<\/p>\n

Director Lynne Ramsay accepted the Attenborough Award for British film of the year for Artificial Eye\u2019s \u201cWe Need To Talk About Kevin\u201d. Director Asif Kapadia picked up the prize for best documentary for Universal\u2019s \u201cSenna\u201d.<\/p>\n

Michael Fassbender (pictured) was there to accept the award as British actor of the year for Lionsgate\u2019s \u201cShame\u201d and Momentum\u2019s \u201cA Dangerous Method\u201d and Olivia Colman picked up the Moet & Chandon Award for British actress of the year for Fox\/Path\u00e9\u2019s \u201cThe Iron Lady\u201d and StudioCanal\u2019s \u201cTyrannosaur\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Donald Sutherland presented the Dilys Powell Award to Nicolas Roeg<\/p><\/div>\n

There were video messages from Anna Paquin and Meryl Streep who tied as best actress. Paquin won for 20th Century Fox\u2019s \u201cMargaret\u201d and Streep was honoured for \u201cThe Iron Lady\u201d.<\/p>\n

Kenneth Branagh accepted his award as best supporting actor for Entertainment\u2019s \u201cMy Week With Marilyn\u201d and Craig Roberts was on hand to receive his prize as young British performer of the year. Production designer Maria Djurkovic accepted the new Sky 3D Award for technical achievement for her work on StudioCanal\u2019s \u201cTinker Tailor Soldier Spy\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t Look Now\u201d star Donald Sutherland presented the Dilys Powell Award for excellence in film to that film\u2019s director, Nicolas Roeg.<\/p>\n

London Film Critics Circle Chairman Jason Solomons, of The Observer, hosted the awards at BFI Southbank, in aid of their charity the BFI Archive and its work on the \u201cRescue the Hitchcock 9\u201d campaign to restore Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s silent films.<\/p>\n

Solomons said the quality of the films and performances honoured at the event showed the increased influence that critics have on the major industry awards.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur 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 \u2018The Artist\u2019, \u2018A Separation\u2019 and \u2018Margaret\u2019, 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,\u201d Solomons said.<\/p>\n