Clint Eastwood's lifetime gong

Clint Eastwood was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Cannes Film Festival in France.The actor-turned-director was tipped for the coveted Palme d'Or award for directing 'Changling' but missed out to French movie The Class. 'The Class', directed by Laurent Cantet, is set in a gritty Paris school and chronicles a year in the life of real teachers and pupils.The prizes were awarded by a jury headed by actor Sean Penn and marked the end of the famous annual film festival.Other winners included 'Hunger', which scooped the Camera d'Or prize for best first feature film.Benicio Del Toro won best actor for his lead role in 'Che', Steven Soderbergh's biopic of the revolutionary.In his acceptance speech, Benicio said: "I'd like to dedicate this to the man himself, Che Guevara."

Best actress went to Brazillian Sandra Corveloni for her role in 'Line of Passage'.

French actress Catherine Deneuve also received a lifetime achievement honour.

Sean Penn praised the standard of films shown at Cannes this year, saying: "There was a field of such powerful, emotional, moving movies and performances.

"There were so many times that we thought it just can't get better."