“MOONLIGHT” was hailed as a “masterpiece” as it won three prizes at the New York Film Critics Circle awards.

    The film took home best director, best cinematography and best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali.

    Veteran director Jonathan Demme, who gave the best director award to Barry Jenkins, said “‘Moonlight’ enters our heart and soul and takes root there.”

    He described the film, which is also an Oscars frontrunner, as a “brilliant masterpiece.”

    The movie, which stars Ashton Sanders and Naomie Harris, is about a young gay black man growing up in an impoverished part of Miami.

    “La La Land” and “Manchester By The Sea” took home the night’s other big prizes.

    The panel which decided on the winners is made up of 37 New York-based critics.

    “Manchester By The Sea” won best original screenplay and best actor for Casey Affleck, while his co-star Michelle Williams was named best supporting actress.

    In his acceptance speech, Affleck playfully referred to the fact critics have not always held him in high regard.

    “I’ve been singled out by this organization before in a less flattering way, but you got to take your lumps, you know, if you’re going to enjoy the sugar,” he said.

    “So it’s nice to be in this room and to know that at least a majority of them appreciated the job I did in this movie.”

    Musical “La La Land” only took home one prize, but it was for the biggest award of the night — best film.

    Other winners included Isabelle Huppert, who was named best actress, “Zootopia,” which won best animated film, and “Toni Erdmann,” which won best foreign language film.

    The winners were announced on Dec. 1 but only formally collected their prizes at a ceremony on Tuesday evening.

    (SD-Agencies)