Cannes Results: Brad Pitt Film Wins Palme d'Or, Lars Von Trier Watches from a Distance

"Melancholia" didn't win the Palme d'Or today at Cannes, but Lars Von Trier wasn't there to see it happen anyway. The director's controversial comments the other day, which included him saying that he sympathizes with Hitler, earned him a ban from the film festival and required that he stay 100 meters away from the building in which the award ceremony was being held.

The Palme d'Or, the highest honor at the Cannes film festival, ultimately went to "The Tree of Life." The metaphysical movie was directed by Terrence Malick ("The Thin Red Line") and starred Brad Pitt, who was in attendance at the festival with Angelina Jolie.

There were originally reports that "The Tree of Life" received boos as the end credits rolled, but considering the award, that must have been only a few in the audience.

Von Trier's "Melancholia" didn't go home completely empty-handed, though. Kirsten Dunst went home with an acting award for her role in the film. Dunst had been seated right next to Von Trier when he made his infamous comments, and looked quite shocked at the time. She thanked Von Trier in her acceptance speech.

We'll never really know how whether "Melancholia" would have won the Palme d'Or if Von Trier hadn't gone all Nazi on everybody. The film's earnings have definitely been hurt already, though, as Argentina has refused to distribute the film within its borders.