More gongs for Mirren's Queen

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Dame Helen, 61, who is up for the best actress Oscar and Bafta for her role as Her Majesty, won British Actress of the Year at the Awards of the London Film Critics' Circle.

She has already been awarded a Golden Globe for her performance in the acclaimed film, about the Royal Family in the aftermath of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

United 93, the retelling of events of September 11, 2001 on the United Airlines Flight 93, clinched Film of the Year as well as Director of the Year for Paul Greengrass.

It also won the British Producer of the Year title for Greengrass, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Lloyd Levin.

US actor Forest Whitaker picked up Actor of the Year for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

Meryl Streep won Actress of the Year for her performance in the hit comedy The Devil Wears Prada.

Rising British star Emily Blunt, 23, won British Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role for her part in the same film, as a weight-obsessed assistant at the bitchy magazine.

Veteran British actor Sir Michael Caine took British Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role for his performance in the Christopher Nolan film The Prestige.

Comic actor Leslie Phillips, 82, was awarded the Dilys Powell Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cinema for everything from his role in the Carry On films to his latest movie, Venus.

Former Top of the Pops dancer turned director Andrea Arnold, 45, whose first feature film Red Road won the Cannes Jury Prize last year, was voted British Newcomer of the Year.

Toby Jones, 39, who plays Truman Capote in Infamous, was named British Actor of the Year.

Pedro Almodovar's movie Volver, which starred Penelope Cruz, scooped Best Foreign Film.

The awards for the best in British and international film talent raises money for the NSPCC.

They are voted for by film critics and were hosted by broadcasters Mariella Frostrup and Paul Gambaccini at London's Dorchester hotel.

Dame Helen looked stunning in a Morgane Le Fay dark blue dress and what she called her "Hollywood stripper" platform heels - bought for 49 dollars (less than £25).

On picking up her award she said her family of "heavy socialists" would have been "absolutely horrified" if they had been told that one day she would play the Queen.

She thanked the "many powers behind my throne" including the person on set who "padded my knickers in a perfect way".

She said of the movie: "We thought it was a good piece of work but we thought it was a small film.

"I want to thank all the people who really believed in this film and made sure it got out to a huge audience. Without them, all of these people, this Essex girl would never have become the Queen."

She added that 2006 has been an "incredible year for actresses" and called on writers "to keep thinking about us girls because we can do it".

Backstage, the actress admitted she was very shaky and said of her heels: "That's why I'm so tall. Normally I'm down here."

She said it had been a strong year for British film and added: "Let's hope it keeps going and gets better and better in years to come."

She said that better roles for women in film would follow if there were "greater roles for women in life, especially in public life, in politics and the commercial world".

The British star joked that people could not look her in the eye when she played the Queen and that despite her rave reviews she could not read what critics had to say about her film.

Director Frears said of his award: "This is the first one I have got. I haven't had any for this firm. The other buggers get them. I'm trying to keep them away from Helen."

Screenwriter Morgan said he was delighted with his award but added backstage: "I'm not sure I would have watched the film if I was in the Queen's situation."

Despite losing out to Blunt in the British Supporting Actress category, Emma Thompson was one of the stars of the night, wowing the awards ceremony in a plunging Roberto Cavalli gown.

After the ceremony she joined Dame Helen in calling for better roles for women, saying: "It's very hard. This year has been pretty good but it's not great (generally).

"That's why I picked Stranger Than Fiction because I'd never seen a role like that where it wasn't a mother or a wife. It was so unusual."

Greengrass said on picking up his award: "The film United 93 was very, very blessed. But that had a lot to do with those extraordinary families of people that were in that aeroplane.

"They were a diverse group of people in terms of politics and religion but their debates about 9/11 sustained us and really inspired us from first to last."

Blunt could not make tonight's ceremony but in a pre-recorded speech said: "I just loved playing this poor, desperate girl so much. Even being abused by Meryl Streep was pleasurable."

Arnold revealed that by winning her award she had lost a £50 bet.

Jones, who won his gong for his role as Capote just months after another film about the eccentric writer had hit the big screen, said: "Capote could not have planned it better, the idea of two successes. He was in love with celebrity to a dangerous extent. He would enjoy it."

Jones said he knew absolutely nothing about the writer when he won the part.

Sir Michael accepted his award by video wearing a dressing gown on the set of the remake of The Sleuth.

Phillips joked at the ceremony when he picked up his gong: "It's such an honour. These honours don't grow on trees. I heard the other day that people are beginning to price them and that you can actually buy them. I'm trying to work out how much it will cost to get Helen Mirren out of here."