Safe Place, a psychological drama by Croatian director Juraj Lerotić about a suicide attempt that creates a deep rift in a family, has won the Kingfisher Award, the main accolade at the Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe).

The jury described Safe Place, Lerotić's first feature film and Croatia's Oscar candidate, as a "beautiful, truthful and compassionate film about suicide, a really important theme that should be discussed more".

It praised the film for precise directing and extraordinary acting and photography. "A film that will stay in our minds and promises interesting works from the director in the future."

https://youtu.be/GPMcpbEdYdQ

Trailer for Safe Place.

A special mention has been awarded to Full Time by Eric Gravel, a French social drama about a single working mother pushed to breaking point when her hectic schedule is compromised by a transit strike.

It said the film married a domestic crisis with a thriller format to draw the audience into the main character's everyday struggle to get to and from work.

The FIPRESCI Award, presented by a jury of the International Federation of Film Critics, went to the French drama The Braves by Anais Volpe, which explores a ride-or-die friendship between two modern heroines facing adversity.

The film is a "vivid and impressive portrayal of an exceptional friendship between two young women. Together, they are unstoppable and able to fulfill their wildest dreams," the jury said.

The festival, which wrapped up on 20 November, presented 92 feature films and three sections of short films from 48 countries.