DHAKA: A host of Oscar nominees came together for the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards in Los Angeles, which saw Gravity win a record seven prizes.

The awards are a likely indicator of Oscar success and have predicted many of the winners in recent years.

Gravity was named best sci-fi film, while Alfonso Cuaron won best director and Sandra Bullock took best actress in an action movie.

However, ‘12 Years a Slave’ collected the coveted best picture prize, reports the BBC.

Determined by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the best picture winner has gone on to win the best picture Oscar in six of the past seven years.

The ceremony saw Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett win the top acting awards for their performances in Dallas Buyers Club and Blue Jasmine.

The pair also both won Golden Globes for their roles at the weekend.

McConaughey thanked the late Ron Woodroof, whom he portrayed on screen, saying he had ‘a life that was damned well worth putting to the big screen’.

‘12 Years a Slave’ star Lupita Nyong’o was named best supporting actress, while McConaughey’s co-star Jared Leto picked up best supporting actor.

Leto, who plays a transsexual woman in the Aids drama, dedicated his award to ‘all the people around the world who are living with HIV (and) all the people who have lost their lives to this horrific disease’.

BDST: 2028 HRS, JAN 18, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor