A low-key comedy by Hong Kong director Oliver Chan titled Still Human took home the two top prizes -- the audience award and the Black Dragon critics' award -- at the 21st Far East Film Festival (FEFF), which closed in the northeastern Italian city of Udine this weekend.
"We live on the other side of the world, so we were afraid our film might not be understood," commented starring actress Crisel Consunji, who plays a Philipino caregiver struggling to get along with her charge, a paralyzed man.
"But the world speaks one language: the language of love," said Consunji.
Chinese black comedy Dying to Survive directed by Wen Muye came in second, while Korean blockbuster Extreme Job by Lee Byoung-heon took third prize.
The White Mulberry Award for First Film went to Melancholic by Japanese newcomer Tanaka Seiji.
Special guest Yao Chen, who starred in one of the Chinese films in competition, Lost, Found, collected a Golden Mulberry Award for Outstanding Achievement.
A total of 60,000 spectators flocked to see the 77 movies from 13 countries and regions that screened at this year's edition of the FEFF, which also attracted 200 guest stars from Asia.
On the business side, 200 film industry professionals from Europe and Asia gathered to talk sales and co-productions at the festival's Focus Asia market and at a special event called The New Silk Roads, which was organized along with local chambers of commerce and the local division of Confindustria business association, organizers said.
The next FEFF takes place April 24 to May 2, 2020.
