This is the first time a film from Sri Lanka won an award in the 58 year history of the Cannes film festival.

Belgian drama L'Enfant (The Child) won the Palme d'Or, the top prize at the Cannes film festival.

Vimukthi shared the Best First Film award for his "Sulanga Enu Pinisa" (The Forsaken land) with Miranda July of the United States who directed "Me and You and Everyone We Know".

Vimukthi Jayasundara calls his film "an exploration of human life in the space of no-war and no-peace".

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya from Cannes on Sunday he said that awarding the Camera d'Or for two films for the first time in the festival depicts a division of views in the Jury.

"It seems that the pro - US and European jurists who wanted a film of their choice to win decided to divide the award due to the strong presence of the Iranian film maker Abbas Kiarostami who chaired the Jury."

Vimukthi said that he was lost for words when he received the award from Abbas Kiarostami.

The Cannes film festival is the world's most prestigious film industry gathering, attracting more than 40,000 movie industry workers every year.

It opened on 11 May with a gala showing of movie Lemming starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Charlotte Rampling.