Uruguayan box office wonder Tricky Life (En La Puta Vida) was awarded the top Golden Columbus (Colon de Oro) prize Saturday (Nov 24) by the jury of Spain's 27th annual Iberoamerican Film Festival of Huelva.

A Uruguayan-Spanish-Belgian co-production sold internationally by Bavaria Film, Tricky is the first film ever nominated by Uruguay to compete for the foreign language Oscar. Beatriz Flores Silva wrote and directed the tale of Uruguayan prostitution in Europe.

Argentine Eliseo Subiela took home the best director prize for The Dark Side Of The Heart II (El Lado Oscuro Del Corazon II). Best actor and actress nods went to Argentina's Ulises Dumont for Rosarigasinos and Mexico's Gabriela Canudas for her title role in Otilia.

Other official competition awards included best script for Colombia's Dano Garcia (La Pena Maxima), best new director for Argentina's Veronica Chen (Vagon Fumador), best photography for Roberto Henkin (Brazil's Netto Perde Sua Alma), and the jury's special prize to Rodrigo Grande's Rosarigasinos.

Venezuelan-Spanish-Canadian co-production A House With A View Of The Sea (Una Casa Con Vista Al Mar), Venezuela's nomination to the foreign-language Oscar, walked away with the public's prize. Sea director Alberto Arvelo picked up the audience award last month in Biarritz as well.