The director of the first Afrikaans film to be picked for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France says he was "honoured" that the film was awarded the Queer Palm by the "powerhouse of European film critics".

Director Oliver Hermanus's Skoonheid (beauty), featured in the festival's Un Certain Regard (a particular outlook) category, won the Queer Palm - a parallel award for the best film dealing with gay issues - on Saturday.

The film is about Francois, a fortysomething family man from the Free State, who struggles to suppress his latent sexual desires.

Despite his battle, he develops an unhealthy and destructive obsession with his friend's 22-year-old son.

Deon Lotz, the South African actor who portrayed the roll of Francois, said he was "ecstatic" that the film had won the award.

"It gives us wonderful recognition as a film and for South Africa's growing film industry," he said.

Lotz, who also plays the role of FW de Klerk in the film, Winnie, said of the role: "I wouldn't say Francois was a closet gay. He just didn't know how to deal with these feelings he had suppressed all his life - because of Afrikaner men having to be a certain way."

He said the movie appealed to all international audiences because "there are many Francoises out there in the world".

"The critics that were there obviously saw something that they liked," he said.

Elisabeth Quin, a French critic and president of the jury that awarded the Queer Palm said: "We were struck and marked by this film about self-hate, homophobia and racism.

"Skoonheid is a disturbing, radical film, real cinema."

Just before boarding a plane to return to South Africa last night, Hermanus, whose previous film, Shirley Adams, took three SA Film and Television awards last year, said he was "very proud" to have won the award.

"I hope South Africa is ready to meet Skoonheid when we return," he said.