Director Karen Moncrieff's independent thriller The Dead Girl has scooped the top prize at the Deauville American Film Festival in France.

The movie - which stars Toni Collette - beat 10 other competitors, including Factory Girl by George Ickenlooper, Waitress by Adrienne Shelly, and Christopher Guest's For Your Consideration, to win the Grand Prize at the Normandy film event.

Other stars honoured at the festival for their career achievements include George Clooney and Michael Douglas.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)