Cannes winner "The Class" reminds of "Salaam Bombay"

CANNES, France —61st Cannes Film Festival awarded the French film "The Class," a story about classroom life using real students and teachers (amateur actors) at a junior high school, with Palme d'Or, the most coveted prize Sunday, May 25, 2008. The occasion reminded many of Mira Nair's "Salaam Bombay" which was also made with real street kids and shot on real locations. "Salaam Bombay" went on to win Golden Camera at Cannes in 1988, reports Kathy Robinson for iefilmi.com.

The second best 'Grand Prize' went to "Gomorrah," by Matteo Garrone (Italy), but 'Best Director' was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey) for his film "Three Monkeys". Best Actor was Benicio Del Toro as Che in "Che" (United States) and Best Actress award went to Sandra Corveloni for her role in "Linha de Passe" (Brazil). Directed by Laurent Cantet, "The Class" ("Entre les Murs") was the first French film to win the main prize, the Palme d'Or, at Cannes since "Under Satan's Sun" in 1987. The film in a docudrama format was shot in a raw, improvisational style to chronicle the drama that unfolds over one school year.