Andrei Zvyagintsev's drama TheReturn was named best foreign language film by the FIPRESCI panel ofinternational critics at the 15th Palm Springs International FilmFestival's closing ceremony last night (18).

In other awards, the JohnSchlesinger Award for first feature went to Yann Samuell's French Film Galalove story, Love Me If You Dare. The film will be released in Maythrough Paramount Classics.

The Audience Choice Awardfor best documentary went to Elliott Berlin and Joe Fab's account of an anti-racismcampaign Paper Clips, while the narrative feature counterpart wasawarded to Marco Tullio Giordana's epic family saga Best Of Youth.

Pablo Berger's satirical Torremolinos73 won the New Visions Award. For newcomers.

The festival closed with theUS premiere gala screening of John Irvin's feel-good comedy The Boys FromCounty Clare. A fuller report will follow this week.