Neus Ballus’ The Plague also won the international Propeller prize at the festival in Croatia.

The Motovun Film Festival (July 27-31) wrapped with Croatian director Bobo Jelcic’s A Stranger winning the Bauer Award for best film from the territories of the former Yugoslavia in the past year.

The winner of the Bauer Award was chosen after three rounds of voting by seven film critics and seven professionals from the region. The prize includes €5,000 as well as €10,000 in post-production services from Teleking.

The film recently triumphed at Croatia’s national Pula Film Festival, where it won seven Golden Arenas, including best film, director, script and two lead roles. Next outing for A Stranger is the competition of the Sarajevo Film Festival.

Spanish director Neus Ballus’ Berlinale Forum title The Plague won the Motovun Propeller - the main award of the festival’s international competition.

Two awards went to Greece: the FIPRESCI Award for Thanos Anastopoulos’ The Daughter and best short film for Christos Nikou’s KM.

The honorary Motovun Maverick award, which celebrates independence and non-conformity, was given to Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Previous recepients of the award include Terence Davies, Terry Jones, Ken Russell and Ulrich Seidl.