"The Great Beauty" or "La Grande Belleza" won the best film, best director, best editor and best actor awards at the 2013 European Film Awards (EFA) in Berlin on Saturday night. Director Paolo Sorrentino's Italian picture follows the life of Jep Gambardella, played by the winner of the best actor award, Toni Servillo, a member of Rome high society who realizes at his glitzy 65th birthday party that he has had enough of his sometimes superficial lifestyle.

One German film picked up honors at the ceremony in the snowy capital Berlin, with Jan Ole Gerster's "Oh Boy" winning the best newcomer award.

"To stand in front of all of you, the heart and soul of European cinema, really means everything to me," Gerster said in his acceptance speech.

Belgian Valerie Baetens, 35, won the best actress award for her role in "The Broken Circle."

The lifetime achievement award went to French performer Catherine Deneuve, who said the honor was "very moving."

"I always thought I was a French actress but I feel like a European actress now," Deneuve said.

Veteran Italian composer Ennio Morricone was honored with the best score award for his work on "The Best Offer," while Spanish director Pedro Almodovar received a special prize for his contribution to world cinema.

For the first time, an award for Europe's best comedy was on offer at the 26th European Film Awards, with Susanne Bier's "Love Is All You Need" claiming the inaugural prize.

msh/ch (AFP, dpa)