Oscars hopeful Leonardo DiCaprio pipped by Tom Courtenay for critics' award

Leonardo DiCaprio may have the backing of his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet in his bid for Oscar glory but he lost out to British veteran Tom Courtenay for an award chosen by the UK's leading film critics.

Winslet, 40, said she would be "surprised" if The Revenant star did not win the Best Actor Academy Award at next month's Hollywood ceremony.

But it was 78-year-old Courtenay who was named actor of the year for his role in British drama 45 Years at the London Critics' Circle Film Awards.

Speaking on the red carpet of the awards at London's May Fair hotel, Winslet said she believed it was "probably going to be Leo's year" at the Oscars after missing out with his previous five nominations.

"I think you can sort of feel it and I think everyone wants it for him," she said.

"It would be amazing. It's also quite difficult for me too because Michael Fassbender is also nominated and I was his right hand woman for three months making Steve Jobs. I saw how hard he worked and I thought his performance was extraordinary.

"But I think you can feel the temperature and it's probably going to be Leo's year."

Winslet was named supporting actress of the year at the Critics' Circle awards after playing Joanna Hoffman in the biopic Steve Jobs, a role which could also earn her second Oscar.

"I really can't believe it because it has been a very strong year," she said about her Academy Award nomination.

"No one has been a shoo-in. People have been flitting in and out of this best supporting actress category for quite some time.

"They were like the golden tickets this year. They were really very coveted spots, particularly in this category, so I'm absolutely thrilled. I loved the experience of making it so it's ultimate cherry on the cake to be nominated."

George Miller's post-apocalyptic thriller Mad Max: Fury Road was named film of the year at the 36th London Critics' Circle Film Awards, while Miller received the director of the year award.

The film's star Tom Hardy was named British/Irish actor of the year for his work in 2015 including The Revenant and as the Kray twins in Legend.

Marital drama 45 Years equalled Mad Max's tally of three awards, including British/Irish film of the year and honours for Courtenay and Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling, who was named actress of the year.

Mark Rylance received the supporting actor honour for Steven Spielberg's Bridge Of Spies.

Sir Kenneth Branagh received the Dilys Powell Award for excellence in film, which was presented by Dame Judi Dench.

Asif Kapadia's film Amy - which depicted the troubled life of the late singer Amy Winehouse - was named documentary of the year.

Brooklyn star Saoirse Ronan, who is nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her role, was named British/Irish actress of the year.

Organisers extended the British categories at this year's awards to include Irish talent, with Ronan, Colin Farrell and Michael Fassbender among the nominees.

Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams, 18, accepted the young British/Irish performer award for her lead role in The Falling.

Oscar nominee Benjamin Cleary claimed the inaugural British/Irish short film of the year award for his unconventional love story Stutterer.

The awards are voted for by 140 members of the Critics' Circle Film Section.