Shanghai-based director Ying Liang's Taking Father Home was awarded the Golden Digital Award at this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF).

The film tells the story of a country boy who travels to the big city in search of his father whom he believes has become a rich property developer - but soon discovers that the reality is quite different. It was also awarded the Special Jury Prize at last year's Tokyo FILMeX.

The Silver Digital Award went to another mainland Chinese production - Han Jie's Walking On The Wild Side - which picked up a Tiger Award at this year's Rotterdam film festival.

Among other prizes at the HKIFF, Zhou Hao's Senior Year, about Chinese students in the countryside struggling to pass their college admission exams, picked up the Humanitarian Award for Best Documentary.

The Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Documentary went to Japanese filmmaker Ikeya Kaoru's The Ants, while Li Yung's Mona Lisa received a special mention.

The FIPRESCI Prize went to The Silent Holy Stones directed by Tibetan filmmaker Wanmacaidan, about a young lama who prefers watching VCDs of Chinese folk tale Journey To The West to traditional Tibetan opera.

The festival closes on April 19 with gala screenings of Marc Evans' Snow Cake and Neil Armfield's Candy.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Asian Digital Competition
Golden Digital Award: Taking Father Home (dir: Ying Liang)
Silver Digital Award: Walking On The Wild Side (dir: Han Jie)

Humanitarian Awards for Documentaries
Best Documentary: Senior Year (dir: Zhou Hao)
Outstanding Documentary: The Ants (dir: Ikeya Kaoru)
Special Mention: Mona Lisa (dir: Li Yung)

FIPRESCI Prize
The Silent Holy Stones (dir: Wanmacaidan)

SIGNIS Award
C.R.A.Z.Y. (dir: Jean-Marc Vallee)
Special Mention:
The Silent Holy Stones (dir: Wanmacaidan)
The Blossoming Of Maximo Oliveros (dir: Auraeus Solito)

Fresh Wave Joint-U Short Film Competition
Best Film: Wasted (The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts)
Best Creativity: Wanna Tell You (The University of Hong Kong)

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