'The Square' grabs Cannes 2017 Palme

The 70th annual Cannes Film Festival draws to a close Sunday night with 'The Square', by Swedish writer-director Ruben Ostlund, grabbing the event's top prize, the Palme d'Or.

The film was was one of 19 films competing for the prestigious prize while US actress Nicole Kidman was honored with a special prize for the festival's 70th anniversary.

After 12 days of cinema on the French Riviera, the 70th Cannes Film Festival entered the final stretch on Sunday.

Of the films  for the prestigious Palme d’Or, critic favorites included ‘A Gentle Creature’ from Ukraine/France, ‘Radiance’ from Japan/France and ‘120 Beats per Minute’ from France.

‘A Gentle Creature’, directed by Sergei Loznitsa, tells the story of a woman living alone in a village in Russia. Her husband has been incarcerated and she decides to send him a package. Things get suspicious when the package is returned, marked ‘Return to Sender’. She then decides to travel to the prison in search of an explanation.

‘Radiance’, directed by Naomi Kawase, Follows the social communications between a cameraman, Masaya, with a lazy eye and Misako, who happen to disconnect from the world.

Meanwhile, ‘120 Beats per Minute’ by Robin Campillo depicts the story of a group of HIV/AIDS activists in the early 1990s.

Regarded as cinema's most prestigious festival, the Cannes Film Festival is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.

AG/AG