Cannes, France - French director Laurent Cantet on Sunday won the Palme d'Or for best film of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival for his movie The Class (Entre Les Murs) about teacher-pupil relationships in a multicultural school in France.

A total of 22 films were vying for the Palme d'Or, which is one of the most prestigious awards in cinema with the win ending France's long-running losing streak at the world's leading film festival.

Turkey's Nuri Bilge Ceylan awarded best director in Cannes

Turkey's Nuri Bilge Ceylan won Sunday Cannes Film Festival's best director award for his brooding family drama Three Monkeys (Uc Maymum).

In accepting the prize, Ceylan said he was dedicating the award "to my beautiful country, which I love passionately."

A total of 22 films were part of the 12-day festival's main competition. (dpa)