HER Tops Austin Film Critics Association 2013 Awards

The Austin Film Critics Association announced its 2013 awards today, with Spike Jonze's futuristic feature "Her" winning Best Film as well as two other awards, and leading the group's Top Ten list. "Gravity" and "12 Years a Slave" also won multiple awards this year.

In addition to Best Film, "Her" took home awards for Best Original Screenplay, by Jonze, and Best Score, by Arcade Fire. Scarlett Johansson was recognized with an honorary award for her voice work in the movie.

Another speculative-fiction feature, "Gravity," won in two categories: Alfonso Cuaron received Best Director, and Emmanuel Lubezki's work earned the film Best Cinematography. "Gravity" was third on the group's Top Ten List, behind "Her" and "12 Years a Slave."

Steve McQueen's historical drama "12 Years a Slave" won three awards: Chiwetel Ejiofor for Best Actor, Lupita Nyong'o for Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay by John Ridley.

Actress Brie Larson was honored in two categories: Best Actress, for "Short Term 12," and the Robert R. "Bobby" McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award, for her roles in "Short Term 12," "The Spectacular Now," and "Don Jon." Best Supporting Actor went to Jared Leto for "Dallas Buyers Club."

The Austin Film Award, for movies shot locally or by Austin-based filmmakers, went to "Before Midnight" this year. Linklater previously won Best Austin Film for "Bernie" (2012), "Me and Orson Welles" (2009), and "A Scanner Darkly" (2006). In addition, "Before Midnight" is in the AFCA Top Ten list this year, along with another feature by an Austin filmmaker, Jeff Nichols' "Mud."

Other winners include "The Act of Killing" for Best Documentary, "Fruitvale Station" for Best First Film, "Blue is the Warmest Color" for Best Foreign Language Film, and "Frozen" for Best Animated Film.

The full list of winners, plus the AFCA Top Ten Films of 2013 list, is included below. You can also find details at the AFCA website, www.austinfilmcritics.org.

The Austin Film Critics Association is a group dedicated to supporting the best in film, whether at the international, national, or local level. AFCA members contribute to publications and outlets as diverse as Ain't It Cool News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, Badass Digest, The Daily Texan, DVDActive, Fandango, Film.com, Film School Rejects, Hill Country News, Horror's Not Dead, KOOP Radio, Movies.com, One Of Us, Paste, ScreenCrush, Slackerwood, Smells Like Screen Spirit, Spill.com, and YNN Austin, among others.

Best Film: Her (Spike Jonze)
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her
Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
Best Score: Arcade Fire, Her
Best Foreign Language Film: Blue is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche)
Best Documentary: The Act Of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer)
Best Animated Film: Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee)
Best First Film: Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)
Breakthrough Artist: Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Best Austin Film: Before Midnight (Richard Linklater)
Special Honorary Award: Scarlett Johansson, for her outstanding voice performance in Her

AFCA 2013 Top Ten Films:

1. Her
2. 12 Years a Slave
3. Gravity
4. The Wolf of Wall Street
5. Inside Llewyn Davis
6. Short Term 12
7. Mud
8. Before Midnight
9. Dallas Buyers Club
10. Captain Phillips