The riveting drama “12 Years a Slave,” won big Sunday at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, taking home the best film and actor honors.
Lead actor Chiwetel Ejiofor nabbed the best actor award for his role as Solomon Northup, a freed man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery.
The 36-year-old actor beat out competition from big names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Bruce Dern and Tom Hanks.
Upon accepting the award, Ejiofor paid a special tribute to the film’s director Steve McQueen.
“You really brought us all through it,” he said. “You had the real vision to tell this remarkable story. The extraordinary life that he had, and to tell this story in a way to make it of such value, of such worth to all who were there. Thank you for this, it was yours. I’m going to keep it, but it’s yours.”