Hunger, the debut film from British artist Steve McQueen, has scooped two of the top prizes at the 9th Era New Horizons International Film Festival in Wroclow, Poland.

The film picked up the Grand Prix and the Film Critics Award, winning $43,175 (€30,000) and guaranteed distribution in Poland.

The biopic of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands has had a successful run of screenings at international film festivals, picking up a slew of awards. These include the Camera d’Or at Cannes 2008, where the film premiered, the DIESEL Discovery Award at Toronto 2008, and the Carl Foreman Award for special achievement by a newcomer at the BAFTAs 2009.

Michael Fassbender, who played Sands in the film, won best actor awards at both the British Independent Film Awards and the Irish Film and Television Awards.

McQueen is well established as a visual artist, and won the Turner Prize in 1999.

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