First-time director Andrea Molaioli's The Girl By The Lake was the surprise winner of Italy's David of Donatello awards taking home 10 statuettes in principal categories including best film, director, first film and screenplay.

The thriller - adapted by screenwriter Sandro Petraglia (Best Of Youth)
and backed by local film giant Medusa - was originally presented at Venice's Critics week last year.

Nicola Giuliano and Francesca Cima of Indigo Film also took the prestigious best producer honours for the film , while Tony Servillo was honoured as best actor.

The picture also dominated awards in the technical categories of cinematography, editing, sound and special effects.

Well-received by critics with strong arthouse box office returns tallying up to $4.1m (Euro 2.6m), the film's success at the awards ceremony came as a shock as it knocked out Berlin contender Quiet Chaos, produced by Domenico Procacci's Fandango and starring Nanni Moretti. The film had led the nominations with 18.

Quiet Chaos, which to date has earned $8.4m (Euro 5.3m) won two awards for music and best supporting actor for Alessandro Gassman.

Hotly-tipped too had been Silvio Soldini's Day's And Clouds which had earned 15 nominations.

The Silvio Soldini-directed, Lionello Cerri produced and Warner Bros
distributed film nabbed two acting statuettes: Margherita Buy was awarded best actress and newcomer Alba Rohrwacher supporting actress for the family drama in which they played mother and daughter.

Rai Cinema's Roberto Faenza-directed costume drama The Viceroys took four statues including best costumes to Oscar-winner Milena Canonero, as well as best set design Francesco Frigieri (The Passion Of The Christ) and best hair and make-up.

Winners

Best Film The Girl By The Lake
Best Director Andrea Molaioli - The Girl By The Lake
Best Directorial Debut Andrea Molaioli - The Girl By The Lake
Best Screenplay Sandro Petraglia - The Girl By The Lake
Best Producer Nicola Giuliano/Francesca Cima Indigo Film
Best Actress Margherita Buy - Days And Clouds
Best Actor Tony Servillo - They Girl by the Lake
Best Supporting Actress Alba Rohrwacher - Days And Clouds
Best Supporting Actor Alessandro Gassman - Quiet Chaos
Best Cinematography Ramiro Civita - The Girl By The Lake
Best Music Paolo Bonvino - Quiet Chaos
Best Original Song 'L'amore trasparente' by Ivano Fossati - Quiet Chaos
Best Art Direction Francesco Frigeri - The Viceroys
Best Costumes Milena Canonero - The Viceroys
Best Make-up Gino Tamagnini The Viceroys
Best Hairstyling Maria Teresa Corridoni - The Viceroys
Best Editing Giorgio Franchini The Girl By The Lake
Best Visual Effects Paolo Trisoglio and Stefano Marinoni The Girl By The Lake
Best film from the European Union - Irina Palm - Sam Garbarski
Best Foreign Film No Country For Old Men - Joel and Ethan Coen
Best Feature Documentary- Mothers - Barbara Cupisti
Best Short - Uova - Alessandro Celli
Young David Award Tell Me About Love - Silvio Muccino
Alice Award Pena Esclusione di vita - Emanuele Pisano
Special David awards for Italian cinema 2008 awarded to Gigi Magni,
Gabriele Muccino, Carlo Verdone

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