After 12 days of glamour, premiers, celebrities and plenty of champagne, the 66th Cannes Film Festival has come to an end on May 26.

Most years a few films emerge as the likely winner but this time everyone was left guessing until the final moments as to which film the jury, headed this year by Oscar winning director Steven Spielberg, would choose for the festival's top prize.

In the end the Palme d'Or went to Blue is the Warmest Color -- a three hour love story described as "epic yet intimate" by critics -- by French Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche.

Chinese director Jia Zhangke had been tipped as a front runner and he doesn't come away empty handed, picking up the award for Best Screen play for A Touch of Sin -- a violent attack on Chinese consumerism told in four parts and based on true stories.

"I am really surprised but also really happy because this is the first time I've been awarded at Cannes. My films have been entered into the competition three times, so this means a lot to me," Jia said.

And so the Cannes Festival draws to a close for another year... and what a year it's been. As the cinephiles soaked up the films, celebrities galore descended on the French Riviera and despite a wet start, the sun eventually shone. All in all, it's been another great festival.

(CNTV.cn May 27, 2013)