The Streetsweeper, a low budget American drama by James Hill that took five yearsto make, was named best picture at the 5th annual Los Angeles Italian FilmAwards at the weekend (May 4).

Broadway veteran Paul Michael stars as a man who honourshis wife's dying wish by cleaning streets in order to raise money to send theirson to Harvard.

After chronic financing and distribution difficulties, TheStreetsweeper was fullyfinanced by the Italian Film Commission and received its premiere in Milan lastyear.

Seventeen filmsplayed at the festival, which opened at the Arclight Theatre in Hollywood onApr 29 with a screening of Eduardo Ponti's drama Between Strangers, starring the director's mother SophiaLoren and Mira Sorvino.