Stephane Lafleur’s droll comedy about suburban dysfunction, En Terrains Connus (Familiar Grounds), has grabbed the Ecumenical Prize at the just-concluded Berlin Film Festival.

The jury prize went to the Canadian film from indie producer micro_scope about a series of accidents that lead a factory employee to reconnect with her brother.

The jury said the Quebecois film, which had its world premiere in Berlin and stars Francis La Haye and Sylvain Marcel, was “innovative in drawing warm and human comic moments out of an alienated world where relationships are fragile.”

“Its dialogue is sparse and well-controlled, and the soundtrack integrates very effectively with the film’s visual imagery,” the jury added.

Familiar Ground is Lafleur’s second film after his debut feature, Continental, un film sans fusil.