TORONTO, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The controversial British film "Death of a President," which depicts the assassination of U.S. President George W. Bush, won the international critics' prize at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday.

"Death of a President", directed by Gabriel Range, was chosen by international critics "for the audacity with which it distorts reality, to reveal a larger truth," said a statement released by the festival, which wrapped up with an awards luncheon on Saturday.

The film is described as having a "unique premise, told in the style of a retrospective documentary, which offers a critique of the contemporary U.S. political landscape."

Accepting the award, Range said he was encouraged the film had recently signed a U.S. distribution deal. "I hope that's proof that people can see beyond the premise and see that it's a film about this post 9/11 world we live in," he said at the ceremony.

The festival's top award -- People's Choice Award-- went to Bella (U.S.), a romantic drama by director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, which tells a story about two individuals whose lives converge in New York City.

The prize, voted on by moviegoers at the 10-day event, is often an indicator of future Academy Award nominations, with past recipients including best picture winners "American Beauty," "Life is Beautiful" and "Chariots of Fire." Last year's winner, Tsotsi," won an Oscar for best foreign-language film.

The Norwegian production "Reprise" took home the Discovery Award, voted on by the hundreds of journalists which attend the festival. The film by Norway's Joachim Trier is billed as a "comedic portrayal of two young men whose shared dream of becoming a writer is trampled upon by the harsh face of reality."

Other winners include:

Best Canadian First Feature: Sur La Trace D'Igor Rizzi, by NoelMitrani, is about a former professional soccer player whose life spirals downward after leaving France for Montreal in the wake of the death of his Quebecois girlfriend. Jury members said the film is a "truly cinematic meeting of style and substance."

Cultural Innovation Award: Takva - A Man's Fear of God, directed by Ozer Kyzyltan of Turkey, concerns a man's belief in God that is put to the test.

Early buzz surrounded films such as the Sean Penn political drama "All the King's Men" and the Ridley Scott-directed romantic comedy "A Good Year," starring Russell Crowe. However, reception for those films ranged from lukewarm to cold.

The Toronto festival began Sept. 7 and featured 352 films from more than 60 countries. Hundreds of movie stars, industry professionals and film fans from around the world converged for 10days of movie-watching and parties. Enditem