As Incendies heads to the Academy Awards, Denis Villeneuve has picked up the top audience award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam for his latest film about sectarian hatred and family bonds in the Middle East.

The Quebec director’s latest film is competing for the 2011 foreign-language Oscar.

Incendies earlier won the best Canadian film prize at the Toronto International Film Festival award, and juried awards at the Vancouver and Warsaw film festivals.

Canada’s Oscar contender will also competed at the upcoming Genie Awards in ten juried categories, including best film and best director for Villeneuve.

Incendies is also set for a U.S. release with Sony Pictures Classics.