Tribeca film festival
May 2, 2010
The German film "When we leave" ("Die Fremde" in the German original), scooped the award for best feature film at the Tribeca film festival in New York.
The film, which was directed by Austrian filmmaker Feo Aladag, tells the story of a young Turkish woman who flees an oppressive and abusive life in Istanbul to start over again in Berlin. Sibel Kekilli won best actress for her portrayal of Umay.
The jurors, among them actresses Brooke Shields, Whoopie Goldberg and singer Alicia Keys, said in a statement that the film "balances complex social issues with honest human yearnings."
Praise for German-Turkish actress
The jury also praised 29-year-old Kekilli, saying that "she kept us enthralled from the very first shot…She managed to embody joy, sorrow, love and hope in equal measure."
Kekilli, who was born in the south-western German city of Heilbronn to Turkish parents, last week also won best actress at the German Film Awards for the same role.
Director Aladag spent six years working on the film and she made the actors rehearse an unusually long seven months before beginning filming.
A film about a couple with Down's Syndrome called "Monica & David" won best documentary, and France's Eric Elmosnino won best actor for his portrayal of singer Serge Gainsbourg.
The Tribeca film festival is the third-biggest event of its kind in North America, after the Sundance Festival in Utah and the Toronto film festival.
It was founded in 2002 by actor Robert de Niro and producer Jane Rosenthal after the September 11 attacks.
ng/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Nigel Tandy