Chiwetel Ejiofor (Fox Searchlight)

Just because there’s still a month of 2013 left doesn’t mean we can’t already declare the best films of the year. This past weekend, dozens of film critic groups across the country released their year-end awards, including our own local group, the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (Note: I’m a voting member, as is DCist film critic/contributor Pat Padua.)

Earlier this morning, WAFCA released their full list of winners, recognizing the best of 2013 in cinema. 12 Years a Slave—Steve McQueen’s brutal, unflinching film about a free black man sold into slavery in the 1800s—was named Best Film, with Chiwetel Ejiofor winning Best Actor, Lupita Nyong’o winning Best Supporting Actress, and the film also winning Best Ensemble, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Score.

Some of the other notable winners include Alfonso Cuarón for Best Director for his stranded-in-space epic Gravity, Cate Blanchett for Best Actress, and Jared Leto for Best Supporting Actor. In a new category, Best Portrayal of Washington, D.C.—an award dedicated to long-time WTOP arts editor Joe Barber, who passed away early this year—Lee Daniels’ The Butler won.

Take a look at the full list of winners below. And you can see the full list of nominees here. (Guess my push for a Spring Breakers sweep was not reciprocated by my fellow critics). Finally, if you haven’t seen most of these movies yet, I highly suggest you do so. They’re all pretty good.

Also: Stayed tuned next week for DCist’s top ten films of 2013 list.

THE 2013 WAFCA AWARD WINNERS:

Best Film:
12 Years a Slave

Best Director:
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Best Actor:
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)

Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Supporting Actor:
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Supporting Actress:
Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Acting Ensemble:
12 Years a Slave

Best Youth Performance:
Tye Sheridan (Mud)

Best Adapted Screenplay:
John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)

Best Original Screenplay:
Spike Jonze (Her)

Best Animated Feature:
Frozen

Best Documentary:
Blackfish

Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown

Best Art Direction:
Production Designer: Catherine Martin, Set Decorator: Beverley Dunn (The Great Gatsby)

Best Cinematography:
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, A.M.C. (Gravity)

Best Editing:
Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger (Gravity)

Best Original Score:
Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, D.C.:
Lee Daniels’ The Butler