'The Class' wins top prize at Lumiere Awards

Laurent Cantet's acclaimed drama "Entre les murs" (The Class) picked up the award for best picture Monday at France's Lumiere Awards.

Based on the book by François Bégaudeau, the film documents daily life in a junior high school classroom. "Entre les murs" also won the presitious Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

The award for best director went to François Dupeyron for his comedy "Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera" (With a Little Help from Myself), about a family of immigrants living outside of Paris.

Meanwhile, the prize for best screenplay was awarded to Samuel Benchetrit for "J'ai toujours rêvé d'être un gangster" (I Always Wanted to Be a Gangster), which also took home the World Cinema Screenwriting Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Vincent Cassell was named best actor for "Mesrine," while Yolande Moreau won best actress for "Séraphine." Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne won the award for the best francophone movie for "Le Silence de Lorna."

Source: AP

2008 Norwegian International Film Festival Awards

Laurent Cantet’s French drama “The Class” ("Entre les murs"), a film based on François Bégaudeau's book about life in a junior high-school classroom, took home the Film Critics Award Thursday at the 2008 edition of the Norwegian International Film Festival at Haugesund.

Cantet's film won several prestigious awards at festivals all over the world in the past months. After winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, "The Class" also picked up the One Future Prize at the 25th Munich Film Festival.

The Ray of Sunshine Award went to Mike Leigh's dramedy "Happy-Go-Lucky," about the ups and downs in the life of a London teacher. The film stars Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan and Andrea Riseborough.

Meanwhile, Thomas Vinterberg's "A Man Comes Home" ("En Mand kommer hjem") won the festival's audience prize. The comedy follows a famous opera singer who returns home to find his hometown drowning in chaos.

Erik Poppe's "Troubled Water" won the Andreas Award. For the complete list of winners, head over to the festivals official Web site.