First among equals was director Yuri Bykov, who took the Canal + Nouveau Genre Award for his crime thriller The Major. Jury members were wowed by Bykov's moral vision, an unflinching look at a police sergeant who becomes an accidental killer.
Sono Sion's Why Don't You Play In Hell? took home the Feature Length Audience Award, adding another feather in the cap of this much loved, absolutely psychotic film.
Finally, Adan Jodorowsky's The Voice Thief swept both short film categories, winning the Canal + Grand Prix and the Audience Award. The banner above comes from Jodorowsky's film, proving if nothing else, that the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree.
Though the festival may have wrapped up, our coverage sure hasn't. Look for several reviews in the next few days, and a blockbuster interview with director Stephen Sayadian that you will really not want to miss.
A hearty congratulations to all winners, and to festival programmers for another terrific year!