‘The Artist’ Wins Top Honors at London Film Critics’ Circle Awards

“A Separation” and “The Iron Lady” also win big at the Thursday ceremony

"The Artist" is continuing to add to its colorful array of awards-season honors.

The Weinstein Co. film won three prizes, including Film of the Year, at the 32rd London Film Critics' Circle Awards on Thursday. Director Michel Hazanavicius and actor Jean Dujardin won best director and actor, respectively.

The trophies are the latest for the nearly silent black-and-white film, which also won over critics at the Golden Globes, Cannes, AFI and Critics' Choice.

Also read: 'Drive,' 'Tinker Tailor' Top London Critics Nominations

Asghar Farhadi's "A Separation" also came out on top in three categories at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards: Foreign Language Film of the Year, Screenwriter of the Year (Farhadi) and Best Supporting Actress (Sareh Bayat).

Logging one less award was "The Iron Lady," with Meryl Streep tying with Anna Paquin ("Margaret") in the best-actress category, and Olivia Colman winning British Actress of the Year.

Kenneth Branagh picked up the best-supporting-actor prize for his role as Laurence Olivier in "My Week With Marilyn." Michael Fassbender earned the British Actor of the Year award for two performances, in "A Dangerous Method" and "Shame."

While "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Drive" had the most nominations going into the ceremony, the two films eked out just one prize between them. Maria Djurkovic won a technical-achievement award for her production design in "Tinker."

Other winners included "We Need to Talk About Kevin" (Best British Film), "Senna" (Best Documentary), "Weekend" (Andrew Haigh as Breakthrough British Filmmaker) and "Submarine" (Craig Roberts as Young British Performer of the Year).

This year, the London Film Critics Circle moved its awards a few weeks early, so as not to become an awards-season afterthought. In past years, they had been given out at a ceremony in mid-February, long after all the other critics groups have announced their winners.

The London Film Critics Circle Awards are voted by more than 120 critics, broadcasters and writers from the U.K.

Here is the complete list of winners:

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 (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 

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