Michel Hazanavicius, 'The Artist' Top 2012 London Film Critics' Circle Awards

The Weinstein Co.

"The Artist"

LONDON Michel HazanaviciusThe Artist silently walked away with three trophies at theLondon Film Critics Circle Awards, winning for film of the year, director and best actor (Jean Dujardin).

Hazanavicius and Dujardin were on hand to pick up the plaudits at the ceremony held Thursday at the BFI Southbank in the British capital.

Meryl Streep, nominated for her turn in The Iron Lady, shared the evenings best actress prize with Anna Paquin for her outing in Margaret, directed by Kenneth Lonergan.

PHOTOS: The Making of 'The Artist'

Kenneth Branaghaccepted his supporting actor plaudit for his outing as Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn, while Michael Fassbender collected the British actor of the year award for his performances as Carl Jung in A Dangerous Method and as a sex addict in Shame.

Olivia Colmans turns in low-budget movie Tyrannosaur and The Iron Lady earned her the British actress of the year award.

Director Lynne Ramsay picked up the evenings British film of the year award for We Need to Talk About Kevin, and Asif Kapadiacollected the best documentary award for his motor-racing picture Senna.

Asghar Farhadis A Separation took home three awards, winning forei! gn-langu age film of the year, screenwriter of the year for Farhadi and supporting actress of the year for Sareh Bayat.The awards were collected on behalf of the film by executive producerNegar Eskandarfar.

PHOTOS: The Making of 'My Week With Marilyn'

All three awards were collected on behalf of the film by executive producer Negar Eskandarfar.

This years breakthrough British filmmaker plaudit went to Andrew Haigh for his gay drama Weekend,while Craig Roberts picked up the nights young British performer of the year for his outing in Submarine.

The evening also honored directorNicolas Roeg, who collected the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film from friend and collaborator Donald Sutherland.

The awards are voted on by more than 120 U.K. film critics, broadcasters and writers.

The 32nd London Critics' Circle Film Awards were enlisted by its charity partner, the British Film Institute, to help with the preservation and restoration of British film, in particular Alfred Hitchcock's nine silent features, as part of the BFI's landmark Rescue the Hitchcock 9 campaign.

The 32nd London Critics Circle Film Awards winners:

FILM OF THE YEAR

The Artist

The Attenborough Award:

BRITISH FILM OF THE YEAR

We Need to Talk About Kevin

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR

A Separation

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR

Senna

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Michel Hazanavicius- The Artist

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

Asghar Farhadi- A Separation

The Virgin Atlantic Award:

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER

AndrewHaigh - Weekend

ACTOR OF THE YEAR

JeanDujardin - The Artist

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR (Tied)

Anna Paquin- Margaret

Meryl Streep- The Iron Lady

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR

Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR

Sareh Bayat- A Separation

BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR

MichaelFassbender - A Dangerous Method, Shame

The Mot & Chandon Award:

BRITISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR

OliviaColman - The Iron Lady, Tyrannosaur

YOUNG BRITISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Craig Roberts- Submarine

The Sky 3D Award:

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

MariaDjurkovic, production design - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

The Dilys Powell Award:

EXCELLENCE IN FILM

Nicolas Roeg