SCOTS movie star James McAvoy has been nominated as Best Actor at this year's Empire Awards for his role in Filth.

The movie, based on the book by Irvine Welsh, has also been shortlisted for Best British Film at the awards.

Other Scots to receive nominations include George MacKay for Best Male Newcomer for Sunshine On Leith and Antonia Thomas and Freya Mavor as Best Female Newcomer, also for their roles in the hit musical based on the music of The Proclaimers.

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, leads the way with seven nods, ahead of Steve McQueen's critically acclaimed 12 Years A Slave.

The controversial slave drama is up for six awards, and will again do battle with Paul Greengrass' true life thriller Captain Phillips, which has five nominations and Alfonso Cuaron's 3D space epic Gravity, with four nods. While Steve Coogan's Bafta-winning Philomena is not recognised, the long-awaited Alan Partridge film Alpha Papa is among the nominees for Best British Film, which also includes Dexter Fletcher's adaptation of Sunshine On Leith and Formula One movie Rush.

The awards will be presented at a star-studded ceremony in London on Sunday March 30.

The public can vote for the nominees at empireonline.com/awards2014