A dying man, Uncle Boonmee; his family; the dead wife and son who return as casual ghosts, the second a 6ft-tall monkey with glowing red eyes. Calling it "a beautiful, strange dream," Cannes jury president Tim Burton awarded this year’s Palme d’Or to Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film is the first from Southeast Asia to win the world’s most prestigious film award.

Stories about family groups were behind many of the winners at this year’s festival. Juliette Binoche was named best actress for her role in Certified Copy, a mysterious love story about a man and a woman who are either complete strangers or husband and wife—or both.

Grand Prix (runner up)

"Of Gods and Men", French director Xavier Beauvois’ meditative recounting of the last days of a group of Trappist monks before their murder during the civil turmoil in Algeria in the 1990s.

Best Actor

Awarded jointly to Spain’s Javier Bardem for his role as a father facing death in "Biutiful" by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Italy’s Elio Germano for his role as a young building contractor bringing up a family alone in "La Nostra Vita".

Best Actress

French actress Juliette Binoche for her role in "Certified Copy" by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.

Best Director

France’s Mathieu Amalric, for "On Tour", the story of an impressario leading a troupe of burlesque dancers on tour through the French provinces.

Best Screenplay

"Poetry", by Korean director Lee Chang-dong, the story of a woman searching for meaning as she confronts the aftermath of a child’s death.

Jury Prize

"A Screaming Man", by Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, which tells the story of a man whose son is drafted into the army to fight advancing rebel forces.

Camera D’or (debut film)

"Leap Year" by Michael Rowe.