Gianni Amelio scooped Italy'sprestigious Nastro D'Argento prize as best director for The House Keys, during a ceremony held on Friday night in Rome'sAuditorium.

Adapted from author GiuseppePontiggia's autobiographical novel, Born Twice, about a father's relationship with his severelydisabled teenage son, The House Keyscaused a furor among local critics when it walked away from the Venice FilmFestival empty-handed. The Rai Cinema picture was put later forward as Italy'scandidate for the best foreign Oscar, but did not earn an Academy Awardnomination.

Meanwhile, the lion's shareof the awards went to Paolo Sorrentino's Cannes mafia tale, The Consequencesof Love, and actor-director SergioCastellitto's drama Don't Move,with both films each winning four awards.

Among others, TheConsequences of Love earned ToniServillo the best actor prize as well as a best supporting actor prize forRaffaele Pisu.

Don't Move, which stars Penelope Cruz, earned Castellitto and hiswife Margaret Mazzantini the best screenplay prize.

Laura Morante, who starred inlocal comedian Carlo Verdone's hit, Long is Eternal For As Long As It Lasts, won the best actress prize.

Other main awards went toLuca Bigazzi, as best director of photography for The Consequences of Love,The House Keys and Wherever YouAre (Ovunque Sei).

Saverio Costanzo won theNastro for best emerging director, for his debut feature Private, a drama about the Middle East conflict whichpremiered in Locarno and has now been sold to over 22 countries world-wide.

Best foreign film went toPedro Almodovar for Bad Education,while Malcolm MacDowell received a special European Nastro d'Argento.

The Nastri d'Argento, which are awarded by the SNCCI (thenational Italian critics' union) are Italy's second highest accoladeafter the Donatello awards. The awards ceremony was brought forward two monthsthis year in the hopes of boosting the performance of Italian films at the boxoffice.

Full list of winners:

Best director: Gianni Amelio(The House Keys)
Best emerging director: Saverio Costanzo (Private)
Best producer: Aurelio De Laurentiis (Che Ne Sara Di Noi, Tutto in UnaNotte)
Best story: Paolo Sorrentino (TheConsequences of Love)
Best screenplay: Sergio Castellitto, Margaret Mazzantini (Don't Move)
Best actress: Laura Morante (Love Is Eternal As Long As It Lasts)
Best actor : Toni Servillo (The Consequences Of Love)
Best supporting actress: Monica Bellucci (Remember Me)
Best supporting actor: Giovanna Mezzogiorno (L'Amore Ritorna)
Best cinematographer: Luca Bigazzi (The House Keys, The Consequences ofLove, Wherever You Are)
Best sound: Alessandro Zanon (The Consequences of Love, La Vita che Vorrei)
Best set design: Francesco Frigeri (ThePassion Of The Christ, Don't Move)
Best costumes: Maurizio Millenotti (ThePassion Of The Christ)
Best editor: Patrizio Marone (Don't Move)
Best music: Banda Osiris (First Love)
Best song: Vasco Rossi and Saverio Grandi (Un Senso, Don't Move)
Best foreign director: Pedro Almodovar (Bad Education)
European Nastro: Malcolm McDowell
Career Nastri: Mario Monicelli and Suso Cecchi D'Amico