Mexico'sFrancisco Vargas took the Golden Columbus and best photography prizes for his El Violin at the 32nd edition of Spain's Iberoamerican FilmFestival of Huelva (Nov 18-25).

Thewinner,an alumnus of the Films in Progress initiative of the San Sebastian andToulouse film festivals and a past Cinefondation premiere in Cannes, is aboutthree men who lead double lives as country musicians and supporters of apeasant guerrilla movement.

The Golden Columbus for best feature film comes with prize money of $78,000 (Euros 60,000.)

Highlightingthe importance for Latin American filmmakers of such financing initiatives asFilms in Progress, another alumnus picked up two prizes: Brazil's Jorge Duranwon both the Silver Caravel for best new director and the Silver Columbus forbest original script for his tragic love triangle Proibido Proibir.

Andfrom Huelva's own Iberoamerican Co-Production Forum, three competition filmsthis year were past Forum participants and two went home with prizes:Gianfranco Quattrini's Chicha Tu Madre(Peru-Argentina) won best actor for lead Jesus Aranda; and Juan Carlos Valdivia's AmericanVisa (Bolivia-Mexico) won best actress for Kate del Castillo.

Remainingprizes included the Special Jury Prize for Manuel Perez's Paginas Del DiarioDe Mauricio (Cuba-Spain-Mexico) and the Silver Columbus forbest new director to Alejandro Doria for Las Manos (Spain-Argentina).

Organisersof the seventh annual Co-Production Forum, which ran November 19-21, saidnegotiations had started on some 50 co-productions.

Amongthe 35 projects from 13 countries that participated, those attracting the mostattention included Paulo Alcantara's drama Estranhos (Brazil); Ricardo Preve's drama Un Enemigo Escondido (Argentina); Alejandro Chomski's black comedy Dormir Al Sol (Argentina); Humberto Vignali's comedy The Fans War (Sp); Michael Radford's La Mula(Spain-UK); and Guillermo Calle Delgado's drama El Arriero (Colombia).

Producer-distributor-exhibitor Jose Maria Morales ofWanda Films and actor Ernesto Alterio received the festival's prestigious Cityof Huelva career awards.