The film ’12 Years a Slave’ has won best picture at this year’s Academy Awards. <br /><br />In all, the historical drama took three Oscars. <br /><br />British director Steve McQueen dedicated the award to all those who had suffered slavery: “I dedicate this award to all people who have endured slavery. And the 21 million people who still suffer slavery today. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.”<br /><br />Space thriller ‘Gravity’, however, dominated the evening with Alfonso Cuaron taking best director for the film. <br /><br />In total, ‘Gravity’ won seven Oscars, including best visual effects, cinematography and original score. <br /><br />The best foreign language film went to ‘The Great Beauty’. <br /><br />The Italian film centres on an aging writer’s reflections on life and his search for meaning among Rome’s idle rich. <br /><br />Elsewhere, the best actress Oscar went to Cate Blanchett for her role in ‘Blue Jasmine’, while Matthew McConaughey took best actor for the’ Dallas Buyers Club’.
