Charlotte Rampling's latest role puts her on course for first Oscar

Film star Charlotte Rampling is one of Britain's greatest actresses with plenty of awards to her name - but never an Oscar.

Her latest film though has put her in contention to win Hollywood's top prize in the month of her seventieth birthday.

It is a low budget, British-made relationship drama called 45 Years.

The Broadchurch actress told ITV News the film represents the "top of the mountain" for her career.

ITV News Correspondent Dan Rivers reports:

The actress has been given eight awards for her role in the film, which sees her playing the part of a conflicted wife alongside Sir Tom Courtenay.

She has been named the year’s best actress by America’s National Society of Film Critics and won best actress at the Berlin Film Festival and the Edinburgh Film Festival for the part.

In the film Ramplin plays Kate Mercer, who is planning a party to celebrate her 45th wedding anniversary.

One week before the celebration, a letter arrives for her husband, revealing the body of his first love has been discovered, frozen in the icy glaciers of the Swiss Alps. Her perspective on the relationship changes as the party nears.

She said she has no desire to stop acting or retire and "the great thing about cinema and theatre is they need all ages".

You can watch the full interview with ITV News Corespondent Dan Rivers on News at Ten.