The end is nigh for the current awards season as the biggest stars of cinema came together at the 2014 EE BAFTA Film Awards.

As expected, Steve McQueen’s powerful slavery drama 12 Years a Slave moved a step closer towards Oscar glory by clinching the prestigious Best Film prize ahead of American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Gravity and Philomena.

Accepting the trophy, McQueen thanked his “one and only mother for having the faith – never give up”.

He added: “Right now there are 21 million people in slavery. I just hope that 150 years from now, our ambivalence will not allow another filmmaker to make this film.”

The autobiographical film, which focuses on educated black man Solomon Northop and his twelve-year ordeal as a slave, could only manage one win elsewhere, as British star Chiwetel Ejiofor took home the Leading Actor accolade for his portrayal of Northop.

This success came at a crucial time for 12 Years a Slave after losing on the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture gong during last month’s Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Elsewhere, the sci-fi blockbuster Gravity continued to build up momentum in the Oscar race by easing its way to six BAFTA wins including the Outstanding British Film prize, and another Best Director accolade for filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón.

Additionally, the film also triumphed in the Cinematography, Sound, Special Visual Effects and Film Music fields.

Meanwhile, Cate Blanchett edged nearer towards Oscar success after winning the Leading Actress gong for her lauded performance as fragile socialite Jeanette “Jasmine” Francis in the Woody Allen drama Blue Jasmine.

Blanchett paid tribute to the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died earlier this month in New York, calling him “a continual profound touchstone”.

She added: “Phil, buddy, this is for you, you bastard. I hope you’re proud.”

The crime comedy American Hustle enjoyed another stellar evening by scooping three prizes, with absent star Jennifer Lawrence picking up Best Supporting Actress for her role as unstable housewife Rosalyn Rosenfeld.

Having won the Adapted Screenplay award for his work on Silver Linings Playbook (2012), edgy filmmaker David O. Russell clinched the Original Screenplay accolade for co-writing the American Hustle script with Eric Warren Singer.

With Oscar frontrunner Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) absent from his category, Somalian newcomer Barkhad Abdi pulled off a memorable win in Best Supporting Actor for his memorable performance as real-life pirate Abduwali Muse in the factual thriller Captain Phillips.

Meanwhile, comedian star Steve Coogan and his writing partner Jeff Pope were awarded Best Adapted Screenplay for their poignant script to the factual drama Philomena.

Coogan praised the “real Philomena Lee”, adding that “her story has been told, and her story finished in the Vatican. She has been heard, but there are 60,000 women who are yet to trace their children”.

Elsewhere, the period drama The Great Gatsby won two prizes for Best Production Design and Costume Design, while the sports biopic Rush pulled off a surprise victory in the Best Editing field.

The other key winners on the night included Frozen (Best Animated Film), The Great Beauty (Best Film Not in the English Language) and The Act of Killing (Best Documentary).

The EE Rising Star award was given to British star Will Poulter for his rising career in film with notable roles including Son of Rambow (2007), Wild Bill (2011), and We’re the Millers (2013).

Finally, Dame Helen Mirren was the latest recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship for her outstanding contribution to cinema over the past forty years with memorable appearances in The Long Good Friday (1980), Cal (1984), The Madness of King George (1994), Gosford Park (2001), Calendar Girls (2003), The Queen (2006), and Hitchcock (2012).

She paid tribute to her drama teacher, Alice Welding, who died recently at the age of 102 and celebrated the “carnival of characters” who worked behind the scenes on all her films.

She finished by reciting a monologue from Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

However, it was a frustrating evening for films with multiple nominations as Behind the Candelabra, Nebraska, Saving Mr. Banks and The Wolf of Wall Street came away empty-handed.

The full list of EE BAFTA winners are…

BEST EDITING
RUSH

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
GRAVITY