Announcing the winners after 11 days of premieres, photocalls and various events, the top award at the 61 Cannes Film Festival went to a French film Entre les murs (The Class).

Directed by Laurent Cantet, the film -- based on an autobiographical novel by Francois Begaudeau -- drew applause for its raw and improvisational style about the drama that unfolds over one school year.

'It is an amazing, amazing film,' Heraldsun-com.au quoted actor-director Sean Penn as saying. The actor, who heads the nine-member Cannes jury, said, 'It was our second unanimous decision.'

In the picture: Robert De Niro presents director Laurent Canet the Palme D'Or for the movie Entre Le Mures on Sunday night.

Photographs: Getty Images

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