The Tree of Life by American director Terrence Malick has won the 2011 Golden Palm (Palme d'Or), the most prestigious award of the 64th Cannes International Film Festival ending on Sunday night.

Starred by Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain, the classic movie tells a story went back to the 1950s and featured the life of the eldest son of a Midwestern family who tries to find answers to the meaning of life and the relation with God through shots from the innocence of childhood to and disillusioned adult years.

Director Malick said he has conceived the script for 30 years before realizing it through the movie reflecting a life in 2 hours and 18 minutes.

The Best Director Award was granted to Denmark director Nicholas Winding Refn for Drive.

U.S. veteran actress Kirsten Dunst took home the Best Actress Award for Melancholia, and Jean Dujardin won best actor for The Artist.

The Jury Prize went to French director Maiwenn for her film Polisse, and the Grand Prize was shared by films Bir Zamanlar Anadolu'da (Once upon a time in Anatolia) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Le Gamin au Velo (The Kid with a Bike) directed by Jean- Pierre et Luc Dardenne.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2011)