'12 Years a Slave' Wins Best Picture But 'Gravity' Dominates Oscars

CBR

By Kevin Melrose

Published Mar 3, 2014

Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave is the first film by a black director to win the Academy Award for best picture.

While Gravity won seven trophies, including best director for Alfonso Cuarón, it was Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave that walked away with best picture last night at the 86th Academy Awards. It's the first movie by a black director to earn the film industry's top honor.

The historical drama also received nods for best supporting actress, to Lupita Nyong’o in her feature debut, and best adapted screenplay, to John Ridley.

David O. Russell's American Hustle, lauded by the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild, failed to win any of the 10 categories in which it was nominated. Likewise, Martin Scorsese's controversial The Wolf of Wall Street was shut out, despite five nominations; Leonardo DiCaprio is now 0-5 at the Oscars.

Like Nyong’o, the other acting winners had dominated the awards season: best actor and actress to Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club and Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine, and best supporting actor to Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club.

The winners are:

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave

Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave, John Ridley

Original Screenplay: Her, Spike Jonze

Cinematography: Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki

Production Design: The Great Gatsby, Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn

Film Editing: Gravity, Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger