ROME — "La Finestra di Fronte" ("The Window Opposite"), a film by Turkish-born director Ferzan Ozpetek, swept top honors at the David di Donatello awards, Italy's most prestigious movie prize.
The movie also received David awards for best leading actor and actress and best original score at last week's ceremony, to emerge as the festival's main winner.
"La Finestra di Fronte" tells the intertwined stories of an old man who lost his memory and a young woman struggling with family troubles.
The 44-year-old Ozpetek lives in Rome. His previous films include 1997's "Hamam" ("Turkish Bath") and 2001's "Le Fate Ignoranti" ("The Ignorant Fairies").
Meanwhile, in Udine, Italy, organizers of the Far East Film Festival have canceled invitations to nearly two dozen Asian directors, actors and producers, fearing the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome.
Pressure from health authorities in the northeastern city of Udine led organizers to cancel 22 invitations to film personalities from Hong Kong and Taiwan, two countries hit by the SARS contagion, festival spokeswoman Sabrina Baracetti said.
"We'll send them a written apology and will certainly invite them all next year, even if they don't have any new films," Baracetti said.
Hong Kong director Riley Ip ("Just One Look") and young Taiwanese director Su Chao-pin ("Better Than Sex") are among those being asked to stay home. Their movies will still be shown, Baracetti said.
The festival runs April 24-May 1 in Udine, 60 miles northeast of Venice.