London Film Festival winners announced

French movie A Prophet has scooped the 'Best Film' award at the BFI London Film Festival.

The crime thriller, directed by Jacques Audiard, follows a young Arab man who spends six years in a French prison. The festival jury, made up of Anjelica Huston, John Akomfrah, Jarvis Cocker, Mathieu Kassovitz, Charlotte Rampling and Iain Softley, described the movie as "a masterpiece".

"A Prophet has the ambition, purity of vision and clarity of purpose to make it an instant classic," said Huston on behalf of the jury. "With seamless and imaginative story-telling, superb performances and universal themes, Jacques Audiard has made a perfect film."

The 'Best British Newcomer' prize was handed to Jack Thorne, the screenwriter behind The Scouting Book For Boys, while Ajami filmmakers Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani took the Sutherland Award for 'Most Original and Imaginative Debut Feature'.

The Grierson Award for best documentary was presented to Yoav Shamir for his film Defamation, which explores anti-Semitism in the modern world.

Brit actor John Hurt, whose has appeared in films such as The Elephant Man, Alien and Hellboy, and Malian director Souleymane Cisse were recipients of a British Film Institute Fellowship.

"For me, the BFI is the heart of British cinema," Hurt said. "I consider it the highest honour possible to be awarded a Fellowship."