Richie Mehta's debut feature Amal has won the prize for best first Canadian feature at this year's Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival.

The prize, known as the Carolyn Fouriezos Memorial Award, sponsored by the National Film Board, comes with $1,000 and was presented at the close of the northern Ontario fest on Sunday. Amal screened in the Features Canada program.

"It was a great privilege to be able to attend and receive such a warm reception at the Sudbury International Film Festival, and to receive this award is truly overwhelming," said Mehta in a release.

Amal follows the story of a New Delhi rickshaw driver (Rupinder Nagra) whose humble life is turned upside down when he becomes the beneficiary of a billionaire's fortune. It is produced by David Miller and Steven Bray of Toronto's Poor Man's Productions.

Distributed by Seville Pictures, Amal had its world premiere Sept. 13 at the Toronto International Film Festival.