The Social Network dominates National Society of Film Critics prizes

Facebook movie 'The Social Network' has scooped four prizes from the National Society of Film Critics.

Jesse Eisenberg - who plays Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the film - beat off stiff competition from both Colin Firth (The King's Speech) and Edgar Ramirez (Carlos) to win Best Actor, while the film also won Best Picture, Best Director for David Fincher and Best Screenplay (Aaron Sorkin).

Despite losing out on the Best Actor category, 'The King's Speech' - about the stuttering British King George VI - did win awards in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Category for Geoffrey Rush, who played Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.

Members of the National Society of Film Critics are made up from critics from newspapers in Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Chicago and the awards are given on a weighted ballot system.

The 45th annual awards were voted for at a meeting at Sardi's restaurant in New York on January 8.

They are considered a forerunner for success at the Oscar's, with 'The Hurt Locker' winning Best Picture at last year's awards ahead of its success at the Academy Awards in February.

Full list of winners from the 45th Annual National Society of Film Critics awards:

Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg 'The Social Network'

Best Actress: Giovanna Mezzogiorno 'Vincere'

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Geoffrey Rush 'The King's Speech'

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Olivia Williams 'The Ghost Writer'

Best Picture: 'The Social Network'

Best Director: David Fincher 'The Social Network

Best Nonfiction: 'Inside Job'

Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin 'The Social Network

Best Foreign Language Film: 'Carlos'

Best Cinematography: 'True Grit'.