South Korean film ‘Pieta’ awarded Venice Golden Lion (VIDEO)

South Korean director Kim Ki-duk's "Pieta" was awarded the top prize at the Venice film festival today, reported the Associated Press.

The film, which Reuters called "ultra-violent," centers around a young, corrupt moneylender who encounters a woman claiming to be his mother. 

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But Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" scored several awards — it won the Silver Lion for directing as well as the prize for best actor, said AP.

The acting award was split between Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix for their roles in the film, which The Independent's Geoffrey Macnab called "an utterly distinctive piece of filmmaking" about the founding of the Church of Scientology.

In fact, it appears that the film was too good. The Hollywood Reporter, citing anonymous sources, said judges first wanted to give the top prize to "The Master" (along with the Silver Lion and the acting duo) but new competition guidelines prohibit one film from winning multiple awards, so the panel had to reconsider.

"The last-minute shift isn't entirely surprising for the world's oldest film festival, which has a history of rewarding odd films and making peculiar decisions," said the Reporter.

Curious? Here's the trailer for "The Master:"