Mexican Director Guillermo del Toro Wins Top Prize at Venice Film Festival

mediaexpress.reuters.com : The curtains of Venice's 74th Film Festival have been drawn, with Mexican director Guilllermo del Toro taking the top prize.

His winning film, 'The Shape of Water', is a dark fairy tale where a mute cleaning lady falls in love with an aquatic creature.

Del Toro awarded the Golden Lion prize on Saturday (September 9).

And had a message for budding moviemakers back home.

"As a Mexican, I want to say this is a first for a Mexican storyteller so I want to dedicate and give the prize to every young Mexican filmmaker or Latin American filmmaker that is dreaming to do something in the fantastic genre, as a fairytale as a parable and is faced with a lot of people saying it can't be done. It can."

Other winners of the star-studded festival included Charlotte Rampling. The British star was awarded best actress in the Italian film 'Hannah'.

And Palestinian Kamel El Basha took the prize for best actor in his role in 'The Insult'.

The award ceremony marks the end of the Venice festival, the world's oldest. It's seen as a launching pad for the industry's forthcoming award season.

Directors will be hoping for a replay of the success of movies like the musical 'La La Land', which won 6 Academy Awards after premiering in Venice.