The 49th London Film Festival winners have now been announced.
Picking up the Sutherland Award for "most imaginative and original first feature film" was director Kari Paljakka for his debut film For The Living and The Dead, a sensitive exploration of the emotions surrounding the loss of a child.
Festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron said, "For the Living and the Dead offers a genuinely fresh approach to a taboo subject, Paljakka has created an intimate and unflinching portrait of a grieving family that is both humane and uplifting.
"This is a powerful and original film and a deserving winner of the bfi Sutherland Trophy."
Also honouring debut film-makers is the Satyajit Ray Award. Now in it's tenth year, it "gives an annual award to a first feature, premiered in the UK at The Times bfi London Film Festival, which reflects the artistry, compassion and humanity of Ray's own work".
Citing the general high standard of first films at this year's festival, Jury President Clyde Jeavons gave a nod to Bouli Lanners' Ultranova, Lee Yoon-Ki's This Charming Girl, and Maria Procházková's Shark in the Head.
The gong, however, went to Perry Ogden for Pavee Lackeen.
Clyde Jeavons added: "We are unanimous in giving the 10th annual award to the Irish film, Pavee Lackeen, Perry Ogden's skilfully dramatised and deeply committed portrayal of the traveller community in Dublin and its struggle with bureaucracy, poverty and prejudice."
The 8th FIPRESCI International Critics Award went to Iranian American director Ramin Bahrani for Man Push Cart.
FIPRESCI Jury member George Parry said: "Man Push Cart is a beautiful study of an exiled Pakistani living in New York, a rock star in his homeland, but now a man selling bagels and coffee from a street stall.
"The film is not only visually excellent, but has a powerful central performance from Ahmad Razvi."
The £15,000 Alfred Dunhill UK Film Talent Award which aims to promote and support emerging talent in Britain, went to producer Gayle Griffiths for Song Of Songs - the controversial exploration of incest in an orthodox Jewish home.
Christopher Colfer, CEO of Alfred Dunhill said "We congratulate Gayle Griffiths for being recognised as an important part of the British film industry's future.
"We are very pleased to give the award of £15,000 to go towards what, we hope for her, will be a successful career."
New to the festival this year is the Grierson Award - for documentary excellence. Michael Glawogger took the honours for Workingman's Death - exploring the meaning of manual labour in the modern world.
Festival director Sandra Hebron said: "A harrowing and visually stunning excursion into the brutal realities of life for manual labourers across the world, this is a truly original and thought-provoking documentary and a deserving winner of our inaugural presentation of The Times bfi London Film Festival Grierson Award."
Short film was not overlooked either, with fierce competition for the TCM Classic Shorts Award. Director Happy came out on top for his whistle-stop tour of one woman's life - Jane Lloyd. He receives £10,000 which should ensure we see more of him in the future.
Read our coverage and reviews of the 49th London Film Festival here.
Visit the London Film Festival official site.
Watch the winner and runner-up short films at TCM Classic Shorts.
