‘12 Years a Slave’ is best picture; ‘Gravity’ nets 7 Academy Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed its top award to a film that detailed America's troubling past over one that showcased the industry's technical prowess.

Critics' favorite "12 Years a Slave" took the Oscar for best picture, while the space thriller "Gravity" captured best director honors and six other statuettes.

After a blustery few days of torrential downpours, Hollywood was hoping for smooth sailing at Sunday's Academy Awards. Though lingering showers earlier in the afternoon soaked portions of the red carpet, the sun made a cameo as Ellen DeGeneres warmed up the crowd, giving the ceremony a deliberately safe vibe after Seth McFarlane's controversial stint last year.

Cate Blanchett won for best actress for her role in "Blue Jasmine." Matthew McConaughey took home the Oscar for best actor for his role in "Dallas Buyers Club," and Jared Leto won for best supporting actor for his critically acclaimed portrayal of a trans woman in the same film.

Lupita Nyong'o won for best supporting actress for her harrowing portrayal of a slave who has caught her sadistic master's eye in "12 Years a Slave." It was the first Oscar nomination for the 31-year-old Nyong'o, and she won it for her film debut.

Not just a breakout movie star, the Mexican-born actress of Kenyan parents has also made a huge splash in the fashion world.

A tearful Nyong'o paid tribute to her slave character Patsey, saying, "It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's."

John Ridley also picked up an Oscar for the movie, for best adapted screenplay.

Alfonso Cuaron won for best director, for his technologically groundbreaking 3-D space epic, "Gravity."

Disney's fairy tale musical "Frozen" won the Oscar for best animated feature. The 3-D film about a magically icy princess is loosely based on a 19th century tale by Hans Christian Andersen, "The Snow Queen."

"20 Feet from Stardom," a documentary that puts the spotlight on backup singers, won the Oscar for best documentary feature. The film, directed by Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville, takes a look at the singers who came of age alongside headliners like Ray Charles, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder.

Italian drama "The Great Beauty" won the Oscar for best foreign language film. Directed by Paolo Sorrentino and considered the favorite in its category, it follows an aging writer's reflections on life and his search for meaning among Rome's idle high society.

"Her," a critics' darling but not a big award winner, picked up one important award: best original screenplay, for Spike Jonze.

"Gravity," as expected, led the ceremony in total awards, cleaning up in technical categories like cinematography and editing.

Al Jazeera and wire services