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"12 Years a Slave" is paving its way toward Oscar victory. The period drama came as big winner at the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards which was held Saturday, March 1 morning in Santa Monica, California.

Winning five awards in total, "12 Years a Slave" took home Best Feature, Best Director for Steve McQueen, Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong'o, Best Cinematography for Sean Bobbitt and Best Screenplay for John Ridley. "You dared me, you scared me and you make me go to places I wasn't prepared to go," birthday girl Nyong'o thanked her co-stars.

"12 Years a Slave" had two other nominations, Best Lead Male for Chiwetel Ejiofor and Best Supporting Male for Michael Fassbender, but they were lost to "Dallas Buyers Club". Matthew McConaughey won Best Lead Male while Jared Leto took home the supporting category.

Cate Blanchett, meanwhile, nabbed the Best Female Actress nod for "Blue Jasmine". The veteran actress quipped, "It's been an amazing year for women in film." It is expected that the four acting categories will have the same winners at the upcoming Oscars.

2014 Independent Spirit Awards Full Winners List:

• Best Feature: "12 Years a Slave"
• Best Director: Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
• Best Screenplay: Bob Nelson, "Nebraska"
• Best First Feature: "Fruitvale Station"
• Best First Screenplay: Bob Nelson, "Nebraska"
• John Cassavetes Award: "This Is Martin Bonner"
• Best Female Lead: Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
• Best Male Lead: Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
• Best Supporting Female: Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
• Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"
• Best Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt, "12 Years a Slave"
• Best Documentary: "Twenty Feet from Stardom"
• Best International Film: "Blue Is the Warmest Color"
• Robert Altman Award: "Mud"
• Piaget Producers Award: Toby Halbrooks and James M. Johnston
• Someone to Watch Award: Shaka King, "Newlyweeds"
• Truer than Fiction Award: Jason Osder, "Let the Fire Burn"