BEVERLY HILLS (Reuters) - U.S. presidential drama "Lincoln" led the pack of Oscar nominees on Thursday with 12 nominations including a nod for best picture, in the race for the world's top film honors.

Joining "Lincoln" in the competition for the best movie Oscar were eight films, including shipwreck tale "Life of Pi" with 11 nods, musical "Les Miserables," Iran hostage drama "Argo," French drama "Amour," Osama bin laden thriller "Zero Dark Thirty," comedy "Silver Linings Playbook," Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained," and mythological indie film "Beasts of the Southern Wild."

The Oscars are given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and this year's winners will be named at a ceremony in Hollywood on February 26.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Vicki Allen)