What have you done?" Mr. Moore said, after receiving a standing ovation.
"I'm completely overwhelmed by this. Merci.''
There was sharp competition for the award, with a solid crop of good movies among the 19 entries in the festival's main competition but no great ones that rose obviously to front-runner status.
While "Fahrenheit 9/11" was well-received by Cannes audiences, many critics considered it inferior to Bowling for Columbine," the documentary that earned Mr. Moore a special prize at Cannes in 2002.
Some critics had speculated that if "Fahrenheit 9/11" won the top prize, it would be more for the film's politics than its cinematic value.
With Mr. Moore's customary blend of humor and horror, "Fahrenheit 9/11" accuses Mr. Bush of stealing the 2000 election, overlooking terrorism warnings before Sept. 11 and fanning fears of more attacks to secure Americans' support for the Iraq war.
Mr. Moore appears on-screen far less in "Fahrenheit 9/11" than in "Bowling for Columbine" or his other documentaries. The film relies largely on interviews, footage of American soldiers and war victims in Iraq, and archival footage of Mr. Bush.
The best-actress award went to Maggie Cheung for her role in "Clean" as a junkie trying to straighten out her life and regain custody of her young son after her rock-star boyfriend dies of a drug overdose.
A 14-year-old, Yagira Yuuya, was named best actor for the Japanese film "Nobody Knows," in which he plays the eldest of four siblings raised in isolation who must take charge of the family when their mother leaves.
The directing and writing prizes went to French filmmakers. Tony Gatlif won the directing honor for "Exiles," his road-trip about a couple on a sensual journey from France to Algeria.
Agnes Jaoui and her romantic partner, Jean-Pierre Bacri, won the screenplay award for "Look at Me," their study in self-image centering on an overweight young woman who feels neglected by loved ones. Ms. Jaoui and Mr. Bacri also co-star.
"Tropical Malady," by Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul - widely regarded by Cannes audiences as a snoozer for its elongated scenes of a man wandering a jungle alone, with no dialogue - won the festival's third-place jury prize.
Another jury prize went to Irma P. Hall for her role as an elderly Southern woman who foils a casino robbery in a crime comedy by the Coen brothers, "The Ladykillers," starring Tom Hanks as the heist's ringleader.
"Or," by Keren Yedaya, about a Tel Aviv prostitute in failing health and her teenage daughter, won the Golden Camera award for best film by a first-time director.
Posted by Wintermute at May 22, 2004 05:37 PMI have enjoyed all his films, topical and stunning; in an eye-opening sense.
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