Feo Aladag’s When We Leave (Die Fremde), has scooped the best film award at the 37th Ghent Film Festival, which runs Oct 12-23.

The film, which is this year’s German foreign Oscar entry, tells the story of a Turkish woman trying to make a new life in Berlin after escaping an abusive husband in Istanbul.

The 15,000 Euros award was presented by German director Wolfgang Kohlhaase who headed up the festival’s international jury.

In other awards, the 10,000 Euros best music prize went to Kim Hong-Jip who wrote the score for Im Sangsoo’s erotic thriller The Housemaid.

Special mentions were also given to Iranian actress Maryam Zaree for her performance in Burhan Qurbani’s German-Turkish feature Shahada, and Swedish actor Dragomir Mrsic for his role in Daniel Espinosa’s thriller Snabba Cash.

Daniel Joseph Borgman’s Berik won the best European short film award.

The Ghent Film Festival closes with the World Soundtrack Awards on Saturday.

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