French director Laurent Cantet's The Class (Entre Les Murs) scooped the Palme d'Or at the Cannes International Film Festival. A drama-documentary centering on a Parisian classroom in a tough neighbourhood, the film was adapted from a book by Francois Begaudeau, who stars as the class teacher.The Film4 and Channel 4 supported experimental film Hunger, directed by Turner Prize winning artist Steve McQueen picked up the Camera d'Or, an award given for directors' debut feature films. An interpretation of the highly emotive events surrounding the 1981 IRA hunger strike, the film whipped up controversy for its subject matter but gained rave reviews from all corners of the press.
The Grand Prize went to Matteo Garrone's Gomorra- an exploration of organized crime in Naples, Italy. Il Divo, the story of the seven times elected Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti, from director Paolo Sorrentino, won the Jury Prize.
Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan was awarded the Best Director prize for his film, Three Monkeys. Brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne took the Best Screenplay award for their portrayal of a young Albanian woman's life in Belgium, The SilenceOf Lorna.Benicio Del Toro was named best actor for his performance as Che Guevara in Steven Soderbergh's two-part epic biopic, Che. The Best Actress accolade went to Sandra Corveloni for her part in Brazilian family drama Linha De Passe, from directors Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas.
Sean Penn's jury also presented special prizes to actress Catherine Deneuve and director Clint Eastwood, in celebration of their careers in film. Clint Eastwood's latest film Changeling, and A Christmas Tale ( Un Conte De Noël) which stars Deneuve screened at the festival.
