A policeman in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin was awarded best actor at the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival on Sunday for his unaffected performance in a domestic film.

It was the first time for Ma Guowei, who has been a policeman in Harbin for more than 10 years, to act on the big screen and play the part of a policeman in the film Old Fish.

"I'm very nervous, so I ask the film director Gao Shuqun to accompany me to the podium," Ma told the audience while being awarded the prize at the film festival, which was concluded Sunday evening.

Gao Shuqun is widely known for directing Tokyo Trial in 2006.

The Old Fish was awarded Jury Grand Prix.

In the film adapted from a true story of a blackmailing case, a policeman nicknamed Old Fish who has no experience of removing bombs is ordered to defuse the threat of a bomb. But when he removes a bomb, another appears. The Old Fish finally gets rid of 11 bombs within 48 hours.

The release of the film has been postponed for attending the festival. It will be shown across the country from Wednesday.

The best actress award goes to Emilia Vasaryova for her performance in Czech Republic's film of Vaclav, and the best director goes to Maris Martinsons from Lithuania for directing the film of Loss.

Cannes-winning Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai headed the jury at the the June 14-22 festival, whose top prize was Jin Jue or "Golden Goblet" prize.

The Shanghai International Film Festival, initiated in 1993, is the only of its kind in China and one of the two Category A international film festivals in Asia.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2008)