[4][5] Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.

The festival opened with Robin Hood by Ridley Scott,[6] and closed with The Tree by Julie Bertuccelli.

[10] Two days before the beginning of the festival, the just finished film Route Irish by Ken Loach, was added to the main competition.

about disabled Kinshasa street musicians Staff Benda Bilili had its world premiere at the festival, with the group in attendance and performing at the Director's Fortnight opening party.

[28] The Xavier Beauvois-directed film had been considered a favourite for the Palme d'Or along with Mike Leigh's Another Year.