"A Prophet" wins best film award in London

Wednesday, October 28, 10:07 PM LONDON (AP) - The bloody French prison drama "The Prophet" on Wednesday won the award for best film of the London Film Festival. The film by Jacques Audiard about the rise of a teenage prisoner in the criminal underworld had taken second prize at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The American actress Anjelica Huston, a member of the jury at the festival in London, said "A Prophet" was "a perfect film … an instant classic and a masterpiece. "The jury gave special mention to the film" The Road, John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel. The London festival, 53 years old, first introduced time this year the best film category to boost its presence and compete with best-known festivals in Berlin, Venice and Toronto. Jack Thorne, a writer on "The Scouting Book for Boys" won the prize for best British newcomer. The announcement was made at a dinner ceremony in London. The festival also gave awards for documentary films debut in the Middle East. The Grierson Award for documentary went to the Israeli Yoav Shamir for "Defamation", a look at anti-Semitism in the world. The Palestinian and Israeli Copti Scandar Yaron Shani Sutherland won the award for best first film by "Ajami" which takes place in the mixed Jewish-Arab district of Jaffa. The veteran British actor John Hurt and director Souleymane Cisse, a native of Mali, received awards for her path, known as British Film Institute Fellowship. The two-week festival was inaugurated on 14 October with the exhibition preview of the animated film "Fantastic Mr. Fox", directed by Wes Anderson. Average (Not Rated)