Swedish film fest honors ‘Frozen River’

The U.S. film Frozen River has earned this year’s Bronze Horse award at the Stockholm International Film Festival in Sweden, the festival jury says.

The jury awarded the prestigious best film prize to the drama that focuses on border smuggling across the St. Lawrence River, The Local reported Sunday.

Jury members tabbed the Courtney Hunt-directed film as a film that treats a socially important subject with unusual sensitivity.

This year’s festival jury was made up of Jorn Donner, Elin Klinga, Sharon Swart, Karin Mamma Andersson and Erik Richter Strand.

First-time director Steve McQueen was also honored Saturday during the 19th edition of the annual festival with a best director award for his work on the film Hunger.

Country Teacher star Zuzana Bydzovska and Hunger lead Michael Fassbender were named best actress and actor respectively by the jury.

The Local said singer Krister Linder’s song Downloading Nancy earned her a best music award, while best short film honors went to Marian Crisan for Megatron.