’12 Years a Slave’ Wows DC Film Critics

12 Years a Slave Featurette
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in '12 Years a Slave' (Photo © 2013 - Fox Searchlight)

The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) gave the riveting drama 12 Years a Slave six awards including Best Film, Best Ensemble, and Best Actor. Following close behind was Gravity with three awards.

“This story of perseverance and the triumph of the human spirit over degradation and misery appealed to our members in a powerful way,” said WAFCA President, Tim Gordon, “and I’m proud of the choice that we collectively made.”

58 critics covering print, radio, television, and the internet make up the DC-VA-MD-based critics group.

2013 WAFCA AWARD WINNERS:

Best Film:
12 Years a Slave

Best Director:
Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

Best Actor:
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)

Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Supporting Actor:
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress:
Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Acting Ensemble:
12 Years a Slave

Best Youth Performance:
Tye Sheridan (Mud)

Best Adapted Screenplay:
John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)

Best Original Screenplay:
Spike Jonze (Her)

Best Animated Feature:
Frozen

Best Documentary:
Blackfish

Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown

Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)

Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)

Best Editing:
Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger (Gravity)

Best Original Score:
Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:
Lee Daniels’ The Butler