In a statement, the jury praised the series as: “not only a cruel study of the solitude of an addicted street-musician and his self-destructive relationship with his mother, but also a great professional artistic work.”

TVP was also represented at the Prix Italia competition with the documentary films Vera Gran by Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, Behind the Poster by Marcin Latałło and Dad Went Fishing by Grzegorz Pacek.

The only other award going to Central Europe was the Signis Special Prize for Slovak director Matej Minac’s Czech-Slovak coproduction Nicky’s Family, representing Czech TV (www.ceskatelevize.cz).

Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi was a special guest of the festival and received the Massimo Prize for the lifetime achievement.