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Turkish drama Winter Sleep wins the Palme d'Or, top prize at Cannes

Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan dedicates award to the youth killed in anti-government protests

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Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan poses with the Palme d'Or, the top award, for his film Winter Sleep during the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: AFP

Turkey's Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Palme d'Or top prize at the this year's Cannes Film Festival for Winter Sleep and dedicated the honour to victims of his country's political strife.

Jury president Jane Campion, the New Zealand filmmaker, handed the trophy to Ceylan, who beat 17 other contenders including David Cronenberg, Jean-Luc Godard and the Oscar-winning director of The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius.

Winter Sleep drew rave reviews as a slow-burn domestic drama that mesmerised audiences despite its more than three-hour length.

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Ceylan dedicated the award to the Turkish "youth who lost their lives" in violent anti-government protests that have rocked Turkey over the last year.

We had a very troubled year ... and these young people ... taught us a lot
Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Julianne Moore won best actress for her role as a shallow starlet in Cronenberg's biting Hollywood satire Maps to the Stars.

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