Canadian filmmakers proved their mettle once again, nabbing some of the top awards at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which included 89 features and 60 short films from 46 countries.

In the World Narrative competition, director Kim Nguyen’s War Witch (pictured) took home the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, a cash prize of $25,000 and the art award The Wrinkles of The City, Los Angeles, Carl revealed on wood, 2011 by JR.

The film, which stars non-professional actress Rachel Mwanza, tells the story of a young girl’s journey to womanhood in the midst of war.

Mwanza also earned the nod for Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film and a $2,500 prize.

Nisha Pahuja’s The World before Her took top honours in the documentary competition.

The film, which examines the trials and tribulations of growing up female in contemporary society, was awarded Best Documentary Feature, $25,000 and the art award An Unpeopled Land in Uncharted Waters, 2010 by Kara Walker.

Jeff Barnaby’s script for Rhymes for Young Ghouls beat out 700 other scripts to earn the Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award and $10,000, the first Canadian script to do so, says John Christou, president and producer at Prospector Films.

According to Christou, Barnaby is also the first Native American to win the award.

Rhymes For Young Ghouls was recently selected for development by Canadian Film Centre Features and received additional support from Telefilm and SODEC.

The film, which as of early April was building its cast and crew, will be distributed by Entertainment One and broadcast by TMN and Movie Central once it moves into production.

Christou says production is slated to begin in October.

The Tribeca Film Festival runs through to Apr. 29 in New York.