Lucia Gajá's documentary Mi Vida Dentro (My Life Inside), a tragic story of a Mexican young woman who migrated illegally to USA and was later imprisoned on suspicion of murder, won top prize at the fifth Morelia Film Festival in Mexico.

The film shows the legal process, the verdict, the separation from her family, her impotence as an example of what life for Mexican migrants can be like. In the same competition, another story about the tragedy of immigrants crossing the border, La Frontera Infinita (The Endless Border), directd by Juan Manuel Sepúlveda Martinez, won a Special Mention.

Donde Están Sus Historias' (Where Are Their Stories'), directed by Nicolás Pereda won top prize for Mexican features from first and second time filmmakers. This competition was introduced this year for the first time to Morelia Film Festival, which was originally designed as a discovery platform for Mexican young talent offering short and documentary competitions.

Where Are Their Stories'
shows the reality of Vicente, a young farmer that lives with his grandmother in a small rural town in Mexico. When his uncles come back from the United States and threaten to sell the grandmother's land, he embarks on a journey to Mexico City seeking justice.

La Caja De Yamasaki (Yamasaki's Box) directed by Jose Manuel Cravioto Aguillon, Fenix directed by Fernanda Romandia and Peces Plátano (Banana Fish) directed by Natalia Beristain were the winners in the short films competition.

The Audience Award went to documentary Paul Grivas and Eugene Zapata's Angahuan, which is the name of a little town in the state of Michoacán where the festival also takes place. Francisco Franco's film feature Quemar Las Naves (Burning The Ships) was also the audience favourite. This directorial debut tells the relationship between two brothers and their life attitude after their mother's death. Gussi Artecinema has distribution rights.

Sundance Grand Jury Price Award winner Padre Nuestro, by Christopher Zalla, closed the festival last night (Oct 13).