South African director Zola Maseko's Drum has wonthe top prize at Africa's leading film festival, Fespaco, in Burkina Faso'scapital Ouagadougou.

Drum, a film about apartheid set amid the jazzclubs of 1950s Johannesburg, was awarded the Golden Stallion of Yennenga and acash prize of $20,000 at the closing ceremony on Saturday night.

Moroccan director Souheil Benbarka, head of the jury,hailed "the exceptional diversity and quality of the films" atFespaco.

The festival's second prize went to The Black Room (LaChambre Noire) by Moroccan director Hassan Benjelloun.

Set in 1975, the film is based on the true story of ayoung ex-Communist party member who is kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured forhis long-lapsed leftist leanings.

Fespaco's third prize went to Tasuma (Tasuma, le Feu),about an elderly Burkinabe soldier who fought for France and is waiting for hispension, by local director Daniel Kollo Sanou.

That movie was also voted best film by Ouagadougou'sfestival goers in ballots after each screening.