Critics Choice Awards 2014: Gravity exerts its force with seven wins

American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave also picked up a string of awards

Sandra Bullock won Best Actress in an Action Movie for her role as a medical engineer trapped in space in Gravity (AP)

Alfonso Cuaron’s space epic Gravity struck gold last night when it picked up seven Critics Choice Awards, the most of any nominated film, at the 19th annual ceremony in Santa Monica.

The acclaimed adventure film won Cuaron the Best Director award and Sandra Bullock the Best Actress in an Action Movie accolade, as well as taking home the prizes for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie and Best Score.

Critics Choice Awards 2014: Winners list in full

British director Steve McQueen also enjoyed a string of successes, with his harrowing drama 12 Years a Slave winning Best Picture. Kenyan rising star Lupita Nyong’o picked up Best Supporting Actress for her role as gutsy slave Patsey and screenwriter John Ridley won Best Adapted Screenplay.

Overall, 12 Years a Slave had received 13 nominations, the same number as David O Russell’s black comedy American Hustle. Amy Adams accepted the Best Actress in a Comedy award for her role as con artist Sydney Prosser, while the film also won Best Comedy, Best Makeup and Best Acting Ensemble.

Oscar nominations 2014: American Hustle and Gravity lead with 10 nods each

The top acting accolades were awarded to Matthew McConaughey, who plays an AIDS sufferer in Dallas Buyers Club alongside Jared Leto, who won the prize for Best Supporting Actor.

Cate Blanchett took home the Best Actress award for her performance as a deeply troubled New York socialite in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.

Special awards on the night went to Forest Whitaker, who won the Louis XIII Genius Award; Benedict Cumberbatch for Hottest Hollywood Star; and Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater for the romantic trilogy Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight.

Many of the Critics Choice Awards winners are also in the running for Academy Awards. Actor Chris Hemsworth revealed the nominations for this year’s Oscars on Thursday, with Gravity and American Hustle the top contenders with 10 nods each.