3. Best Director - Steve McQueen
Speaking of being placed under a spell of disturbingly spellbinding scenes you cant look away from, thats essentially the trademark of a Steve McQueen film; filming some of the most uncomfortable sequences to watch but instead of getting it over with, lingering on them for what feels like an eternity, pushing you to your breaking point. Some would consider this shock value and exploitation but under the delicacy of Steve McQueen its in actuality the accomplishment of eliciting a very specific emotion from audiences. When you construct a sickening scene with a point to get across, its not exploitation but rather art. The harshness and brutality of 12 Years A Slave is necessary, and in knowing this McQueen is uncompromising. Under someone elses direction, this movie wouldnt be anywhere near as powerful considering McQueen is fearless.