Portugal's newly-createdInternational Independent Film Festival, IndieLisboa (Sept 24-Oct 2), closedits first annual edition with resounding public success.

Eugene Green's The LivingWorld (Le Monde Vivant) won the grand prize in the official competition offirst and second works by international directors.

Sergio Trefaut's Lisboetaswon best Portuguese film, Miguel Gomes' A Cara Que Mereces the JornalPublic Critics' Award and Micha Wald's Alice Et Moi took home theJameson Audience Award.

"We were proved right whenwe said Lisbon needed a general-interest festival," said co-creator and-programmer Rui Pereira, pointing to an average attendance of 1,000 people perday. "It has been a huge success, bigger than we expected."

Pereira says the festivalaims "to show films the Portuguese public should see but probably wouldn't havea chance to." Yet one unintended outcome may be securing local distribution forscreened films. All but a handful lack distribution and Pereira confirms thatlocal distributors, prompted by sales agents, turned out in force to screen themovies.

IndieLisboa was created bynon-profit outfit Zero em Comportamento with backing from the Portuguese government andprivate sponsors. Pereira runs the event (independent of his position as an acquisitionsexecutive at Atalanta Films) together with Nuno Sena and Miguel Valverde.