The Best Actress Award went to Maggie Cheung for her role in Clean directed by Olivier Assayas.
"It's really an incredible time in my life," Maggie Cheung said. "I would like to thank the Cannes Festival for having invited us this evening. I want to thank the jury for having given us this prize. Clean wasn't easy to get made and I also want to thank the three producers [...] And thank you too Olivier."
When asked at the press conference whether this was her best performance: "It was difficult to play but not the most difficult technically speaking. It was difficult because it was painful [...] Other directors might let me play such a role, a junkie, but only Olivier gives me the trust necessary to play it as I feel. "