Director Michael Moore’s controversial anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 has won the prestigious Palme d’Or best film award at the Cannes festival.
It was the first documentary to win the top prize since Jacques Cousteau’s The Silent World in 1956.
The film received a 15-minute standing ovation when it was screened on Monday.
Fahrenheit 9/11 explores the Iraq war and alleges connections between President George W Bush and top Saudi families, including the Bin Ladens.
The documentary uses Moore’s customary satirical style to accuse Mr Bush of stealing the presidential election in 2000, ignoring terrorism warnings before 11 September 2001 and fuelling fears of more attacks to secure Americans’ support for the war in Iraq.
Moore: “I can’t begin to express my appreciation and my gratitude to the jury, the Festival, to Gilles Jacob, Thierry Fr?maux, Bob and Harvey at Miramax, to all of the crew who worked on the film. [...] I have a sneaking suspicion that what you have done here and the response from everyone at the festival, you will assure that the American people will see this film. I can’t thank you enough for that. You’ve put a huge light on this and many people want the truth and many want to put it in the closet, just walk away. There was a great Republican president who once said, if you just give the people the truth, the republicans, the Americans will be saved. [...] I dedicate this Palme d’Or to my daughter, to the children of Americans and to Iraq and to all those in the world who suffer from our actions. “














