Cannes, May 25: Russian arthouse director Alexander Sokurov and the US co-directors of a real-life story on comic books were among winners of fringe prizes at the Cannes film festival, which wraps up today with the announcement of the top prize, the Palme D'or. Afghanistan's first entry to a Cannes festival also picked up awards in fringe sections of the festival, while an Iranian film also about Afghanistan, "At five in the Afternoon" by Samira Makhmalbaf, won the ecumenical jury prize. "Osama" directed by Afghan Sedigh Barmak, a tale about the horrors of life under the Taliban, won a French arthouse prize for the best film shown at director's fortnight as well as a prize awarded by a panel of youngsters. Barmak's first feature-length film, which won a rousing ovation at its screening, is set in the weeks following the Taliban takeover.
Sokurov's "father and son", an ode shot in classical style portraying the father-son relationship, won the international Fipresci film media prize as the best film among the 20 vying for the Palme D'or.

Fipresci awarded the prize for the best of the 19 films selected in the amuteur section "Un certain regard" to US film "American Splendor" by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, a film about Harvey Pekar, behind the comic books of the same name.

The third Fipresci prize, for the best film in director's fortnight, went to "The hours of the day" by Jaime Rosales of Spain.

Bureau Report