A documentary focusing on people's lives in Cambodia following the downfall of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime has won the Grand Prize at an international film festival in Yamagata Prefecture.
"The Land of the Wandering Souls," a 1999 film by Cambodian director Rithy Panh, was awarded the prize at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2001, which ran for seven days through Tuesday.
His work was chosen from among 670 entries from 70 countries, although the director himself was not on hand to receive the award personally due to illness.
During the ceremony, an award recipient on his behalf read out a statement in which the director expressed hope that people all over the world will see his documentary and use it to help solve their conflicts.
A documentary titled "In Vanda's Room," by Portuguese director Pedro Costa, won the Prize of Excellence, which was presented by the mayor of Yamagata. The work focuses on an immigrant district in Lisbon.
"A2," which was put together by Japanese director Tatsuya Mori and examines Aum Shinrikyo, won a special prize, garnering the most support in a public poll.
The festival has been held every other year since 1989.