Golden Globes have been awarded to 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle, with Breaking Bad and Behind the Candelabra recognised in the TV categories.

12 Years a Slave has won best film drama at the Golden Globes 2014, during a night that also held awards for Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett and Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston. American Hustle took the award for best film (comedy or musical).

12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen`s unflinching depiction of slavery in pre-Civil War America, had been nominated for seven awards, but missed out in the acting, directing, screenplay and music categories.

The awards kick-start the Hollywood awards season, and are seen as the best annual indicator for which films will do well at the Oscars in March.

American Hustle, a Seventies-set romp directed by David O Russell, collected the most awards, with success in three of its seven nominations. Amy Adams won best actress in a musical or comedy for her role as the scheming partner to a con-man played by Christian Bale in the film, while Jennifer Lawrence took best supporting actress for her turn as his wife.

Alfonso Cuaron won best director of a motion picture for Gravity, while Breaking Bad was named best TV series. Bryan Cranston also took best actor in a TV series for his role as Walter White.

Leonardo DiCaprio won best actor in a musical or comedy for his depiction of a swindling stockbroker in the The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese.

Other top drama acting awards went to Cate Blanchett for her role as a socialite fallen on hard times in Woody Allen's film Blue Jasmine, and to Matthew McConaughey for his role as an AIDS activist in Dallas Buyers Club.

His co-star Jared Leto took the best supporting actor Globe for his role as Rayon.

Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra, directed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, won best mini-series or TV movie, and its star Michael Douglas took best actor in a mini-series or TV movie.

The TV awards also recognised Elisabeth Moss for best actress in a mini-series. Asked where she would keep her award she said: "I`m going to sleep with it right next to me in bed.”

Woody Allen received the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement at the Globes, accepted on his behalf by Diane Keaton.