A film shot by Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan has won the Palme d'Or, the top award at the Cannes Film Festival.
I, Daniel Blake, by acclaimed British director Ken Loach, tells the story of a middle-aged widower who suffers a heart attack and his ensuing battle with the welfare system in Britain.
Another film shot by Robbie, American Honey, won the competition's Jury Prize. However he wasn't the only Irish person involved in the winning movie - Eimhear McMahon, from Bellharbour in Co.Clare was the line Producer on I, Daniel Blake.
Strong Irish involvement in this year's winning Palm d'Or movie
Mr Loach previously won the coveted award for The Wind That Shakes the Barley, a drama set during the Irish War of Independence and Civil War.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Loach, who is a veteran left-wing activist, said the European Union has caused "hardship and poverty for millions of people".
Asked if he saw his film as an indictment of the EU, he told a press conference: "I think the European Union is embodying neo-liberalism. You see it in the way they humiliated the Greek people.
"It has caused hardship and poverty for millions of people and a great struggle for a lot of other people who are not desperate but they are having a hard time.
"So you just tell one little story, one of the consequences of the many millions of people, tell one little story, and you just hope it connects, it connects to people."
Mr Loach has had 12 films in competition at the Cannes Film Festival through his long career.
Irish cinematographer part of Palme d'Or success. @DonaldClarke63 discusses the surprise winner: https://t.co/bI88e1YFLl
— Morning Ireland (@morningireland) May 23, 2016
