AFP
LONDON
Coming of age film “Boyhood” scooped three prizes at the London Critics’ Circle awards on Sunday, bolstering the real-time drama, nominated for six Academy Awards at next month’s Oscars.
Shot over 12 years, the critics group awarded “Boyhood” film of the year, best director for Richard Linklater and best supporting actress for Patricia Arquette - the same categories it won at the Golden Globes earlier this month.
Linklater said that the award from the critics’ association meant a lot to him.
“To me it’s the top of the top because they’re people who know film history and they see every film,” the director said.
“Not to be elitist, but in this world of film, those writers are important because they know quite a bit about what they’re talking about, so you take it more seriously, and it’s that much more of an honour.”
The circle awarded Michael Keaton best actor for his role as a former star making a theatrical bid to revive his career in “Birdman”, a rival to “Boyhood” at the Oscars with nine nominations.
Meanwhile stylish comedy “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, another top Oscar contender with nine nominations, was awarded best screenplay for writer and director Wes Anderson.
Julianne Moore won actress of the year for her performance as a professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in “Still Alice”. Rosamund Pike, who is nominated in the best actress category at the Oscars, was awarded British actress of the year for her work in thriller “Gone Girl” and British comedy “What We Did On Our Holiday”.
Timothy Spall, who missed out on an Oscar nomination, won best British actor of the year for playing the artist JMW Turner in “Mr Turner”.

AWARDS WINNERS

FILM OF THE YEAR
Boyhood
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Leviathan
BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR
Under the Skin
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Citizenfour
ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Michael Keaton - Birdman
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Julianne Moore - Still Alice
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
JK Simmons - Whiplash
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Timothy Spall - Mr Turner
BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl  
YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Alex Lawther - The Imitation Game
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Richard Linklater - Boyhood
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel
BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILMMAKER
Yann Demange - ‘71
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Under the Skin - Mica Levi, score
DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM
Miranda Richardson