'Greek Weird' Alps Wins Sydney Film Festival Prize

Greek drama Alps was named winner of the fifth Sydney Film Festival Prize today.

A part of the 'Greek Weird Wave', Alps was one of twelve films competing for this year's prize. Director Yorgos Lanthimos is considered a leading light of Greek Weird, bringing the cinematic movement to global attention with Dogtooth in 2009.

Lanthimos was not in attendance for the presentation and was informed via phone in Greece, where he welcomed the news, "I never expected such a nice wakeup call."

Festival Jury Chair Rachel Ward described the winning feature as "a finely calibrated, absurdist study of power and identity" and called Lanthimos "an important new voice in Greek cinema."

Alps beat out competition from the film adaptation of On The Road and Cate Shortland's Lore amongst the collection of competing titles from India, South Korea and Brazil.