Oscars 2014: Stars arrive on Academy Awards red carpet

Hollywood is out in force for the 86th annual Academy Awards, with some of the world's biggest movie stars making the trek onto the red carpet.

Heading into the awards gala, front-runners include American nominees for the glitzy gala include the Abscam scandal crime caper American Hustle and 3D space saga Gravity, the searing drama 12 Years a Slave and Dallas Buyers Club, Canadian director Jean-Marc Valle's indie drama about a scrappy, HIV-positive, alternative medicine champion.

Check out the attached gallery for highlights from the Oscars red carpet.

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Administered by the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Oscars are the climax of an ever-lengthening movie awards season and considered Hollywood's most prestigious honour.

The Oscars take place Sunday evening at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and air live on ABC and CTV.