CANNES -- Michael Moore's controversial documentary about the Bush family and the war in Iraq, "Fahrenheit 9/11" was awarded the Palme d'Or Saturday at the 57th Festival de Cannes.

Jury president Quentin Tarantino said the jury "was proud to announce" Moore's victory, which prompted a standing ovation from the closing night gala audience.

"I'm completely overwhelmed by this, merci," Moore said. Turning to Tarantino onstage, he said: "You just did this to mess with me. The last time I was on an awards stage in Hollywood, all hell broke loose." When Moore won the Academy Award last year for his documentary "Bowling for Columbine," his comments on President Bush created an uproar.

Moore said he'd had a rough few weeks prior to the Cannes fest. The Walt Disney Co. ruled that its subsidiary Miramax Films could not release "Fahrenheit 9/11." "We have a distributor now," he said. "In Albania. Now every country in the world can see this film except one."

Moore told the jury and the festival, "You will ensure that the American people will see this movie. You've put a huge light on this. Many people want the truth to be put away but a great Republican once said that if you give the people the truth, the republic will be safe. That was Abraham Lincoln, a different kind of Republican."

Moore said he had just flown back to France from his daughter's graduation in the United States. "I dedicate this win to my daughter and to all the children in America and Iraq who have suffered from our actions," he said. "Things will change. I am not alone. There are millions of Americans like me and we will work hard so that those who have died will not have died in vain."

The mood of the evening had been set earlier when Belgian Jonas Geirnaert picked up the Short Film Jury Prize for "Flatlife," and asked any American viewers who might see the ceremony "not to vote for Bush."

There were more passionate political comments from Keren Yedaya, director of "Or," which won the Camera d'Or prize. A French Israeli, she said she loved Israel but asked for help for Israelis "who are fighting the occupation so that the Palestinians get what they deserve."

Otherwise, the evening was devoted to movies, as Korea's ultra violent "Old Boys," directed by Park Chan-wook, won the Grand Prix and Tony Gatlif won as best director for "Exils," a picaresque road picture traveling from France to Algeria.

Maggie Cheung was named best actress for playing a rock chick trying to get off drugs in order to win back her son in Olivier Assayas' "Clean," and Yagira Yuya won as best actor for his role as the oldest of four Japanese siblings forced to fend for themselves in Kore-eda Hirokazu's "Nobody Knows."

Agnes Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri won the award for best screenplay for their Parisian drama "Comme Une Image" (Look at Me). The Jury Prize was a tie between actress Irma F. Hall in the Coen Brothers' "The Ladykillers" and the Thai art film "Tropical Malady."

The Senegalese drama "Moolaade," directed by 81-year-old Sembene Ousmane and dealing with female genital mutilation, won the Prix Un Certain Regard.

The closing night of the Festival de Cannes continued after the awards ceremony with a screening of Irwin Winkler's Cole Porter musical, "De-Lovely.' The stars of the picture, Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd presented the top prize of the evening.

57th Festival de Cannes Awards

Palme d'Or: "Fahrenheit 9/11" directed by Michael Moore
Grand Prix: "Old Boy" directed by Park Chan-wook
Best Actress: Maggie Cheung in "Clean" directed by Olivier Assayas
Best Actor: Yagira Yuya in "Nobody Knows" directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu
Best Director: Tony Gatlif for "Exils"
Best Screenplay: Agnes Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri for "Comme une Image" (Look at Me) directed by Agnes Jaoui
Jury Prize: (tie) "Tropical Malady" directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and actress Irma P. Hall for "The Ladykillers" directed by Ethan Coen
Prix Un Certain Regard: "Moolaade" directed by Sembene Ousmane.