The Palme d'Or was awarded to Michael Haneke for The White Ribbon.

Michael Haneke accepted the distinction from the hands of Isabelle Huppert with these words: "Thank you very much. Sometimes my wife asks me a very feminine question: that is, am I happy. Well, let me say that at this moment in time, I am very happy. Much thanks also to Thierry Frémaux for including me in this prestigious competition; to my producers, for letting me do what I wanted; to the funding sources which financed the film, and to the children, who were an enormous gift to me. A thousand thanks!"

At the Award winners Press Conference, Michael Haneke said: "I feel good. Naturally. The Palme d'Or is the best prize a filmmaker can win. I am very happy. There are always rumors at the Festival, and one must not take them seriously. When I presented Hidden, everyone was telling me I was going to win the Palme. And I didn't get it… Of course, you're curious about how it's going to end up. I am not proud, but I am very happy. In my opinion, it's silly to be proud. As a director, I always see the flaws in my films. I'm never entirely satisfied. You just hope the audience won't notice them."