War, world politics and personal struggles dominated Sundance Film Festival awards on Saturday as a dark drama, "Forty Shades of Blue," and a documentary about the US defence industry, "Why We Fight," won top honours. "Forty Shades of Blue" tells of a Russian woman who marries a man twice her age to immigrate to America and must come to a new understanding of herself. It earned the American Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
The American Documentary Jury Prize was given to "Why We Fight," in which director Eugene Jarecki examines the US military-industrial complex to argue that the system's survival depends on constant war.
Director Eugene Jarecki, as he received the award, encouraged other documentary filmmakers to join in "the fight to restore a concept of decency in American foreign policy as it so (much) affects the rest of the world." Sundance is the top US festival for independent film, and a prize here means instant recognition for filmmakers.
For the first time, Sundance held competitions for world documentaries and dramas to cast a brighter spotlight on foreign films.
The World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize was given to "The Hero," about people looking for normalcy following the end to the Angolan civil war in 2002. It received backing in three countries: Angola, Portugal and France.
The Netherlands' "Shape of the Moon" won the World Cinema Documentary Jury Award. It tells of three Christian families adapting their religious beliefs to life in Indonesia.
The top Sundance awards come from juries of filmmakers, but the festival also offers an "Audience Award" chosen by festival-goers. The Audience Awards are often a better indicator of a film's popularity and potential box office.
Last year's dramatic jury award went to the low-budget science fiction film "Primer," which failed to ignite major ticket sales, while the dramatic film audience winner "Maria Full of Grace" met solid success at box offices.
The World Cinema audience trophy for a drama went to Denmark's "Brothers," about a man whose life changes after his brother vanishes while on a UN mission in Afghanistan.