Three Arab films scoop top awards at this year’s Cannes Film Festival

'It Must Be Heaven' wins Special Mention in main competition, 'For Sama' and 'Ambience' also rewarded

Elia Suleiman, winner of the Special Mention award for his film "It Must Be Heaven" poses at the winner photocall during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Director Bong Joon-Ho, winner of the Palme d'Or award for his film "Parasite" speaks at the Closing Ceremony Press Conference during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Director Mati Diop, Grand Prix award winner for her film "Atlantics" (Atlantique) reacts next to Sylvester Stallone. Reuters

Viggo Mortensen looks as Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne receive the Best Director Award for their film Le Jeune Ahmed at the Closing Ceremony during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Antonio Banderas receives the Best Actor award for his role in "Dolor Y Gloria" at the Closing Ceremony during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Emily Beecham receives the Best Actress award for her role in "Little Joe" at the Closing Ceremony during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Christophe Barral, Toufik Ayadi, Kleber Mendonca Filho, Ladj Ly and Juliano Dornelles, winners of the Jury Prize award for their films "Les Miserables" and "Bacurau" pose with Michael Moore on stage at the Closing Ceremony during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Celine Sciamma, winner of the Best Screenplay award for "Portrait De La Jeune Fille En Feu", attends the Closing Ceremony Press Conference during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images

Syrian director and producer Waad al-Kateab poses during a photocall for the film "For Sama" at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 16, 2019. The film won the Golden Eye Documentary Prize at the film festival. AFP

Director Karim Ainouz celebrates winning the Grand Prix Un Certain Regard Award for the film "The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao" (A Vida Invisivel de Euridice Gusmao). Reuters

Amador Arias Mon, Benedicta Sanchez Vila and Director Oliver Laxe attend the photocall for "Viendra Le Feu" ('Fire Will Come') during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2019 in Cannes, France. The movie won a Jury Prize. Getty Images

Kantemir Balagov attends the photocall for "Beanpole" during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2019 in Cannes, France. Balagov won the Un Certain Regard Best Director award. Getty Images

French actress Chiara Mastroianni arrives on May 25, 2019 to award a Special Prize during the closing ceremony of the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. Mastroianni won the Un Certain Regard Best Performance award. AFP

Special Jury Prize winners for the film "Liberte": director Albert Serra and cast members Baptiste Pinteaux, Marc Susini, Montse Triola, and Iliana Zabeth. Reuters

Special Jury Mention winner, French director Bruno Dumont, for "Jeanne" (Joan of Arc). EPA

Coup de Coeur Award winner" "A Brother's Love" (La femme de mon frere) director Monia Chokri. Reuters

Coup de Coeur Award winner: "The Climb" director Michael Angelo Covino and actor Kyle Marvin. AP

Palestinian director Wissam al-Jafari was awarded a third-place tie Cinefondation award for "Ambience". The movie tied with "Duszyczka” (The Little Soul) by Barbara Rupik. AFP

There were big wins at this year's Cannes Film Festival for Arabic cinema on Saturday, with a special mention in the main competition for Elia Suleiman's comedy It Must Be Heaven, the Goldeneye Documentary Prize for Waad al-Kateab and ­Edward Watts's For Sama, and a tied third place in the ­Cinefondation section for Wisam Al Jafari's Ambience.

Look through the photo gallery above to see more of the winners.

Suleiman's film resulted in the director, who also starred in the movie, traversing the globe from Paris to New York alongside co-star Ali Suliman (Homeland, Lone Survivor) in a semi-autobiographical tale of a Palestinian man seeking a new homeland, only to find similarities with his homeland wherever he goes.

Suleiman's film also picked up the Fipresci Critics' Award. The jury said in a statement: "In a subtle, stylistically strong and humorous way, this film tells a story that goes beyond politics, religions, authorities and cultural differences. Even though those differences are observed with a sharp eye for the absurd that slides through hypocrisy and are delivered with great cinematic and often surprising choreographies."

For Sama, meanwhile, tells the story of co-director Al-Kateab's experience of being a young mother through the beginning of the war in 2012 to the fall of Aleppo in December 2016 via first-hand footage recorded in real time.

Ambience is directed by Palestinian student Wisam Al Jafari, who attends Palestine's Dar Al-Kalima University College of Arts and Culture. The film tells the story of a pair of aspiring musicians trying to record a demo in a hectic refugee camp. When their efforts are repeatedly hindered by the camp's noise, they hit on the idea of using the day-to-day buzz and noise of the camp as a soundtrack in its own right.

Elsewhere, this year's top prize, the Palme d'Or, went to South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho for Parasite, a dark comedy thriller exploring social class through the eyes of a family of hustlers.

French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop has also become the first black female director to win an award in Cannes' history. Diop won the Grand Prix – the second prize – for Atlantics, a drama about young migrants and sexual politics.