Dolan, Tierney films score at international film fests

Canadian movies by emerging young directors scored accolades at international film festivals over the weekend, with a pair of films taking two prestigious prizes.

I Killed My Mother (J'ai tué ma mere), Xavier Dolan's semi-autobiographical drama, won best feature film at the 7th Zagreb Film Festival in Croatia.

Actor François Arnaud accepted the award on behalf of director, screenwriter and star Dolan, while Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean — in Croatia for a state visit — was among those who took in the closing ceremonies on Saturday.

"This is wonderful news for a beautiful Quebec film and a young, extremely promising filmmaker. The entire delegation and I celebrate this magnificent film," Jean said in a statement.

The movie, which follows a Quebec teen's volatile relationship with his mother, first won acclaim at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival in May and has been selected as Canada's official foreign film entry for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Tierney's Trotsky wins over Tokyo viewers

As the Tokyo International Film Festival drew to a close on Sunday, Jacob Tierney's comedy The Trotsky proved a fan favourite, winning the publicly voted Audience Award.

The Montreal-set comedy, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, stars Jay Baruchel as a teen who believes he's the reincarnation of Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky.

Other award winners in Tokyo include Bulgarian film Eastern Plays — which won the festival's prestigious Sakura Prize, best director for Kamen Kalev and best actor for Christo Chistov — and Colombian romantic thriller Rabia, which won a special jury prize.