Filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist has won the best film at this year's BFI London Film Festival Awards. Other films that won awards include Paradise Is Burning (Sutherland Award), Bye Bye Tiberias (Grierson Award in the documentary competition), and The Archive: Queer Nigerians (best short film).

The jury panel for the festival consisted of Amat Escalante, Raine Allen-Miller, Rubika Shah and Charlotte Regan.

On selecting Evil Does Not Exist, the jury said in a statement, "Subtle, cinematic and underscored by fully realised performances, Hamaguchi’s assured drama supersedes the sum of its parts. It is both a lyrical portrait of family and community, and a nuanced consideration of the ethics of land development. Amidst a strong competition the jury is unanimous in our admiration!”

Written and directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, the Japanese film revolves around a single parent who resides in a quaint rural village along with his daughter. Even as the nature is untouched, and serenity rules the land, a Tokyo company arrives which is set to destroy the site with its construction. The film stars Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani among others.