Mooted by many to be an Oscar favourite, Steven Spielberg's political biopic, Lincoln, has broken records by being nominated for 13 Broadcast Film Critics Assn.'s Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations, The L.A Times reports.

Among the 13 nominations were best film, best director for Steven Spielberg, best actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, best supporting actress for Sally Field, best supporting actor for Tommy Lee Jones and best acting ensemble. The 18th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards will be handed out Jan. 10 - the same day that the Academy Award nominations are announced - and so represents one of the most exciting days of the year for film lovers. Fellow nominees in the most fiercly contested category - that of best film - are, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty

Competing with Spielberg for best director are Ben Affleck for Argo, Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty, Tom Hooper for Les Miserables, Ang Lee for Life of Pi and David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook. The cinematic reimagining of the musical, Les Miserables is the second most recognised entry with 11 nominations, while the quirky romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook scored 10, despite a mixed critical response.