South Korean film 'Parasite' wins coveted Palme d'Or

Paris: Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite won the prestigious Palme d'Or prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Jurors, led by acclaimed Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu, made the unanimous decision to give the event’s top prize to the South Korean film.

This was another major win for Asia. Last year's winner was Hirokazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters.

"Parasite has been a special adventure...I'm the first one surprised to win this prize," Bong Joon-ho told the gathering after being awarded.

This year's Grand Prize, the festival's second place award, went to Mati Diop's Atlantics, while the award of best actor went to Antonio Banderas for his performance in Pedro Almodovar's Pain and Glory. The jurors awarded the best actress prize to Little Joe star Emily Beecham.

The jury prize was shared by Ladj Ly's Les Miserables and the Brazilian movie Bacurau, which was directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles.

French writer-director Celine Sciamma won the best screenplay award for Portrait of a Lady on Fire while and Cesar Diaz's Our Mothers was awarded the Camera d'Or.