GOLDEN GOOSE AWARD

Mexican film wins Golden Goose Award

"Desierto Adentro" (The Desert Within), the 2008 film by Mexican filmmaker Rodrigo Pla, has won the top prize at this year's Golden Goose International Film Competition in the eastern province of Kars.

The competition, held on the sidelines of an ongoing traveling festival of European films, "Festival on Wheels," wrapped up its third edition Thursday with an awards ceremony at the Kars Şehir Cinema, the Anatolia news agency reported.

"The Desert Within," written, directed and produced by Pla, follows the story of a religious man who dedicates his life to building a church in order to redeem himself in God's eyes, fearing his children will fall into evil. It won the Golden Goose Award for best film, beating eight other contenders, including Andreas Dresen's "Wolke 9" (Cloud 9), Christophe Van Rompaey's "Aanrijding In Moscou" (Moscow, Belgium), Aida Begic's "Snijeg" (Snow), Steve McQueen's "Hunger," Fernando Eimbcke's "Lake Tahoe," Goran Markovic's "Turneja" (The Tour) and Mika Kaurismäki's "Three Wise Men."