British productions swept the floor at the awards ceremony of the 17th Festival International des Programmes Audiovisuels (FIPA) in Biarritz, run by former Cannes Quinzaine des Realisateurs director Pierre Henri Delleau.

BBC Northern Ireland production Holy Cross, Mark Brozel's debut film about the story of two Belfast families, received the Golden Fipa for best full length fiction.

Two more Golden Fipas were awarded to the film. Zara Turner and Bronagh Gallagher jointly won the Best Actress prize, while Terry Cafolla picked up the prize for his screenplay.

French actors Serge Riaboukine and Gerald Laroche were the joint recipients of the Golden Fipa for best actor in Capone, the Arte-7eme Apache Films co-production directed by Jean Marc Brondolo.

Cambridge Spies, about four Cambridge students recruited as spies by the Soviet Union in 1934, was the other big British winner at this year's festival. The film was co-produced by Mark Shivas' London based Perpetual Motion Pictures and the BBC.

It was awarded a Silver Fipa for best direction in the Series and Serials section plus two Golden Fipas, one for the leading actor Tim Hollander and another for Philippe Sarde's music.

The Golden Fipa for this section was awarded to the Brazilian production City Of Men, a Globo TV and 02 Filmes co-production directed by Katia Lund, Paulo Lins and Cesar Charlone.

The late Marie Trintignant was named Best Actress in the Series and Serials section for her last appearance in Colette before her tragic death late last year.

A record number of 600 productions unspooled at the Festival including those presented in the smoothly run film market, the Fipatel.