Ang Lee's Gay Cowboys Conquered Venice

The famous Taiwanese director Ang Lee was awarded the Golden Lion for his latest movie Brokeback Mountain at the climax of the 62nd Venice Film Festival Gala in Italy.

His adaptation of an E Annie Proulx's novella, which tells the story of a gay love affair between two cowboys, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, was considered by the jury as best film.

The film is "a great American love story. I'm so glad it's prevailed here and was received so warmly here", Lee said.

The Paris-born director Philippe Garrel picked up the Silver Lion prize for directing Les Amants Reguliers (The Regular Lovers), which also won in the Outstanding Technical Contribution category. Isabelle Huppert was given a Special Lion for her career, which has spanned four decades.

George Clooney's second outing as a director - Good Night, And Good Luck, won the Best Screenplay and Best Actor for leading man David Strathairn.

The Venice Film Festival full list of winners:

Golden Lion for Best Film: Brokeback Mountain by Ang Lee

Silver Lion for Best Director: Les Amants Reguliers by Philippe Garrel

Jury Special Prize: Mary by Abel Ferrara

Coppa Volpi for Best Actor: David Strathairn in Good Night, And Good Luck

Coppa Volpi for Best Actress: Giovanna Mezzogiorno in La Bestia Nel Cuore

Osella for an Outstanding Technical Contribution: William Lubtchansky for the photography in Les Amants Reguliers

Osella for Best Screenplay: George Clooney and Grant Heslov for Good Night, And Good Luck

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress: Menothy Cesar in Vers Le Sud

Special Lion for her work as a whole: Isabelle Huppert

Horizons Prize: East Of Paradise by Lech Kowalski

Horizons Documentary Prize: Pervye Na Lune (The First On The Moon) by Aleksey Fedortchenko

Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a First Feature: Lion of the Future - 13 (Tzameti) by Gela Babluani

Citroen Short Super-Short Lion for Best Short Film: Xiaozhan (Small Station) by Lin Chien-Ping

Special Mention: Layla Afel by Leon Prudovsky

UIP Prize for Best European Short Film: Butterflies by Max Jacoby.