The Australian movie "Chopper" directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Erik Bana was awarded the major prize, the Grand Prix, at the 19th Cognac Crime Film Festival on Sunday.

"Chopper", Dominik's first feature-length picture, was also awarded the critic's prize.

The film tells the absurd and comic true-life story of Mark "Chopper" Read's attempts to win infamy for himself as a leading organized crime figure. It will be released in the United States later this month and in France in late May.

Dominik won a best director award for the film in Australia, while Bana was selected as best actor and Simon Lyndon best supporting actor.

The Cognac Film Festival jury was led by the British film director John Badham.

The jury prize was awarded to "La Comunidad" (The Community) by the Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia -- AFP