British director Ken Loach won the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or, on Sunday. His film, “The Wind that Shakes the Barley,” beat out 19 other contenders at the festival in France.

The movie stars Cillian Murphy and traces Ireland’s struggle for independence, recounting the early days of the IRA in the 1920s.

Loach, 69, has said the film is also a critique of the U.S.-led war on Iraq.

“Maybe if we tell the truth about the past, maybe we tell the truth about the present,” he said in his acceptance speech.

Despite seven previous nominations for the award, this was the first time Loach won the Palme d’Or.

The prize jury was led by Chinese director Wong Kar-wai and included actors Tim Roth, Monica Belluci and Samuel L. Jackson (”Snakes on a Plane”!!!).






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