Two Italian box-office hits on the problems of getting and keeping jobs led the pack in Italy's film critic awards, the Nastri d'Argento (Silver Ribbons).
Paolo Virzi's Tutta La Vita Davanti (Your Whole Life In Front Of You), a bittersweet comedy about highs and lows in a call center, picked up the Best Director/Best Picture honours from the Association of Cinema Journalists (SNGCI).
Sabrina Ferrilli got the Best Supporting Actress gong for her sassy turn in the flick.
The Best Actress award went to Margherita Buy for her portrayal, in Silvio Soldini's Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds), of a wife whose life is devastated when her husband loses his job.
The handling of other social and personal problems pleased the critics as Antonello Grimaldi's Caos Calmo, a controversial picture of a grieving widower, won four Nastri including Best Supporting Actor for Alessandro Gassman, son of Italian movie great Vittorio Gassman.
A tragic-comic plunge into the Naples trash crisis, Biutiful Cauntri, won the Best Documentary prize.
But a classic genre film, first-time director Andrea Molaioli's La Ragazza del Lago (The Girl In The Lake), got the Best Screenplay award and a Best Actor prize for Toni Servillo, star of Cannes winners Gomorra and Il Divo.
Earlier this year Molaoli's eerie noir was the surprise hit at Italy's Oscars, the David di Donatello awards, beating Caos Calmo to a clutch of honours.
The Nastri critics named Sam Garbaski's Irina Palma as Best European Film, and Sidney Lumet's Before The Devil Knows You're Dead as Best Non-European Film.
The awards will be presented at Taormina's Ancient Greek temple showcase on Saturday June 14.
Lifetime achievement awards will be handed to war and crime genre director Carlo Lizzani, epic and western strongman Giuliano Gemma and legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.
The SNGCI, like the Donatello jury before them, is handing comedian and actor Carlo Verdone a special award marking his 30 years of laugh-making.
