'Uncle Boonmee' wins Cannes Palm d'Or

[ntscuser]

Thai film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives has won the Palm d'Or prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul's feature, about a dying man who is visited by the spirits of his death wife and son, was awarded the in competition section's top prize tonight by the Tim Burton-led Cannes jury.

Taking to the stage to accept the accolade, Weerasethakul dedicated the honour to his fellow countrymen and used the platform to criticise Thailand's rigid rules on censorship.

"I'd like to thank the jury, particularly Tim Burton, whose haircut I really like," Weerasethakul said during his acceptance speech. "I'd like to send a message home: this prize is for you."

Xavier Beauvois's drama Of Gods And Men, which centres on Christian monks living in a monastery in Algeria, won the 'Grand Prix' gong.

In the acting categories, Javier Bardem and Elio Germano shared the 'Best Actor' prize for their respective roles in Biutiful and La Nostra Vita. Juliette Binoche scooped the 'Best Actress' award for Copie Conforme.

Kirsten Dunst presented France's Mathieu Amalric with the directorial gong for his burlesque comedy-drama Tournee, and the screenplay prize went to South Korea's Lee Chang-dong for Poetry.

The Jury Prize was awarded to A Screaming Man, the first ever Chadian entry at Cannes, while Michael Rowe's Leap Year took home the Camera d'Or, the top award handed out to first-time directors.