LOCARNO, Aug 14: An Italian film, "Private", depicting the absurdities of life for a Palestinian family in the Israeli-occupied territories, won the top Golden Leopard award at the Locarno film festival in Switzerland on Saturday.

Twenty-nine year-old director Saverio Costanzo's first fiction film won over the whole seven member jury, which included French director Olivier Assayas, British critic David Robinson and Hong Kong director Yu Lik Wai.

The best actor prize went to Mohammad Bakri for his lead role in "Private", at a ceremony in the lakeside Swiss town.

The film focuses on Mohamed, whose home is wedged in between a Palestinian village and an Israeli military base.

When a Israeli army unit takes over the house, Mohamed and his family refuse to budge. The family end up in the living room, while the soldiers set up camp on the first floor.

Inspired by a real story, Costanzo betrays the vivid documentary style he has been used to so far in his observation of the Palestinian family's frustration, fear and resistance.

With US documentary maker Michael Moore's surprise win at the Cannes Film festival with "Fahrenheit 9/11" in May still fresh in people's minds, the jury was asked if it had rewarded "Private's" subject matter or its artistic merits.

"We are looking for good films, it could be a good film because it has a strong story, a strong political message," Robinson said.

Assayas said "Private" was rewarded for its "formal qualities, in view of its original style".

"The selection was strongly coloured by films dealing with political subjects in a somewhat unconventional way, we are obliged to choose from the films that have been selected," he added.-AFP