Four films which received EU MEDIA programme funding were awarded Palme D'Or, Grand Prize, prize for the best scenario and Prix un Certain Regard.

Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso and EU Media Commissioner Viviane Reding attended the film festival in person together with Ministers of Culture from 12 EU Member States and from Croatia.

Amongst the films receiving honours at the awards ceremony yesterday night were "Entre Les Murs" directed by Laurent Cantet (France) which won the Palme d'Or, whilst "Gomorra" directed by Matteo Garrone (Italy), swept up the Grand Prize of the festival. "Le silence de Lorna" directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne (Belgium) won the prize for the best scenario, and the film "Tulpan", directed by Sergey Dvortsevoy (Kazahstan) was awarded the Prix Un Certain Regard.

Europe's MEDIA programme facilitates filmmakers' access to financing and helps to increase the circulation of European audiovisual works all over the world. It is providing €755 million to Europe's film industry from 2007-2013 This year's 4 winning films alone have received a total of over €317.000 in support. MEDIA-supported films have already triumphed at the Oscars this year, with the golden guys for The Counterfeiters (Die Fälscher/Austria-Germany) and for La vie en Rose (La Môme/France)

"The awards from Cannes mark the climax of what has been a truly successful year for European filmmakers," said Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media. "I am very proud to see the high quality of films that Europeans are now able to produce. The support given by Europe's MEDIA programme to these award winners will now ensure that they can also be seen outside national and European borders."

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