Beijing film festival:
Top prize awarded to Georgian actress Ketevan Tskhakaia

A Georgian actress has taken home one of the top prizes of the Beijing International Film Festival for her role in Georgia’s award-winning film Moira.

Ketevan Tskhakaia won the Best Supporting Actress prize for her performance in Moira by judges of the Chinese festival that ran from April 16-23.

The week-long festival featured around 300 local and foreign films.

Films and actors at this year's Beijing International Film Festival were judged by a panel of seven experts. Photo from www.bjiff.com.

Last year Moira, directed by Levan Tutberidze, won the SIGNIS Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain and was named the Best Film of the Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles, the United States.

The feature work was also selected as Georgia's Oscar bid for this year's Academy Awards ceremony.

Its plot centres around a man who, having been recently released from prison, attempts to rescue his family from poverty by buying a small fishing boat, pinning his hopes that it will bring him a better fortune.

The Beijing International Film Festival also screened Georgian filmmaker Nino Basilia's new film Anna's Life within its official program.

The Chinese cinema event was established in 2011 and this year celebrated its 6th edition.