'Dancer' takes bows
Von Trier pic tops at European Film Awards
However, the shine was taken off the glittering event at Paris' Theatre de Chaillot as neither von Trier nor Bjork were present to receive their trophies.
The Oscar-winning Italian director Roberto Benigni was another VIP whose absence was felt by a disappointed audience expecting to see him receive an award for European achievement in world cinema.
The rest of the prize winners did show up, including Richard Harris, who took away a lifetime achievement award and provided one of the evening's few high spots with a funny thank-you speech about the ups and downs of old age.
Other attendees included Wim Wenders, president of the European Film Academy; Pedro Almodovar; Liv Ullmann; Emmanuelle Beart; and a token American, Harvey Keitel.
The French actor Jean Reno received a European achievement in world cinema award, in recognition of his international career in films such as "Mission: Impossible."
French triumph
Indeed, a largely French audience at the awards ceremony enjoyed watching the French film industry scoop up the lion's share of the prizes this year; films like Stephen Daldry's "Billy Elliot" and Peter Lord and Nick Park's "Chicken Run" went away with nothing.
The best actor nod went to Sergi Lopez for his work in Dominik Moll's black comedy "Harry, He's Here to Help."
France's Agnes Jaoui and and Jean Pierre Bacri, co-authors of Jaoui's Oscar contender "It Takes All Kinds" ("Les gout des autres") took screenwriting kudos.
Agnes Varda received best documentary for her film "Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse"; the European Discovery Fassbinder award went to Laurent Cantet's first film, "Human Resources."
'Love' prevails
The Screen International Award, the only prize for non-European film, went to a Franco-Hong Kong co-production, Wong Kar-wai's "In the Mood for Love."
Other nations were not left completely out of the picture, though. The European cinematographer award went to Spain's Vittorio Storaro for "Goya in Bordeaux."
The European critics award, the Prix Fipresci, went to Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Clouds of May," and Livia Gyarmathy's Hungarian film "Our Stork" took the European short film award.
