Park Jungbum’s debut feature The Journals Of Musan has scooped the Golden Star award at the 10th Marrakech International Film Festival.

The jury, headed by John Malkovich, gave the top prize to the film about a North Korean defector’s struggle to survive in South Korean society. It won the New Currents Award at Pusan in October.

Mexican director Alejandro Gerber Bicecci’s coming of age drama Beclouded and Belgium director Vanja D’Alcantara’s World War II drama Beyond The Steppes tied for the jury prize.

There was also a tie for the ensemble acting award, with the entire cast of Australian director David Michod’s Sundance winner Animal Kingdom and Feo Aladag’s German Oscar submission When We Leave jointly winning the award.

The 10th edition of the Mararkech Film Festival ran from December 3-12, with a starry line-up including Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Eva Mendes and Keanu Reeves.

The festival included a special tribute to French cinema, attended by directors and actors including Catherine Deneuve, Costa Gavras, Marion Cotillard and Sophie Marceau.