Australia's most popular film last year, The Sapphires, was named best narrative feature by an audience at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
It marks the film's fourth US festival audience award following triumphs at the St. Louis International Film Festival, Aspen and Denver Film Festivals. The Sapphires, which follows a group of Aboriginal singers during the Vietnam War, was also previously nominated for a Gold Hugo for Best Feature Film at the Chicago International Film Festival.
The Sapphires grossed more than $14 million at the Australian box office in 2012 and made its debut at the Cannes International Film Festival. It recently received 12 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) nominations including for best film.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival, which closed on January 14, screened 182 films from 68 countries, including 42 of the 71 foreign language entries for this year’s Academy Awards. A full list of winners at the festival can be found at the Palm Springs Festival site.
Contact this reporter at bswift@www.if.com.au or on Twitter at @bcswift.