Cannes Winner ‘Minotaur’ Takes Top Prize at Sydney Film Festival

Andrey Zvyagintsev's film "Minotaur" won the Sydney Film Prize on Sunday night, concluding the 73rd Sydney Film Festival. The festival, which ran for 12 days, was described by organizers as its highest-selling event in history. The AUD$60,000 ($42,200) prize is awarded for films that are innovative and challenging. "Minotaur," a thriller set in contemporary Russia, was Zvyagintsev's latest work to receive international acclaim. The festival showcased 250 films from 65 countries, including 37 world premieres and 129 Australian premieres. Other notable awards included the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, which went to "The Convert," directed by Dean Francis, and the Foxtel Movies Audience Award for Best Documentary, presented to "The Last Daughter," directed by Corey Pearson. The festival also featured a retrospective of the works of acclaimed director Agnes Varda and hosted industry events like the Screenworks Screen Leaders program.