Nine movies contended for the Riga IFF award, with Sīmanis' flick praised by the jury as a "timeless and universal allegory about the unutterable horrors of war, presented in an ambitious and uncompromising cinematic language."
The special award was handed to Norwegian actor Trond Nilssen for his work in Erik Skjoldbjærg's Pyromanen.
While the Artdocfest/Riga viewers' award was given to Vladi Antonevicz's Credit for Murder.
Lili Brushes Her Teeth received the children jury's award for the best short while The Little Gangster received the full-length award.
See the rest of the winners below by clicking 'See more'.
The festival took place October 13 to 23. Last year's award went to Sergei Loznitsa's The Event.
