Lady Chatterley in Cesars triumph

Marina Hands starred in Lady Chatterley, which took five Cesars

Lady Chatterley has taken the award for best film at the Cesars, France's glitzy equivalent of the Oscars.

The French film also triumphed in the best actress category, with Marina Hands winning for her role in the adaptation of the DH Lawrence novel.

Francois Cluzet won best actor for Ne le dis a personne (Don't tell anyone), while Guillaume Canet was named best director for the same film.

US independent movie Little Miss Sunshine was named best foreign film.

It is also nominated in the best picture category for the Oscars, which will take place in Hollywood on Sunday night.

Indigenes hopes dashed

Lady Chatterley, directed by Pascale Ferran, tells the story of the wife of a wealthy paralysed landowner who falls in love with a gamekeeper on her husband's estate.

The film took home five Cesars in all, also winning best adaptation, best costumes and best cinematography.

In the Skin of Jacques Chirac, an examination of the French president's 40 years in politics, was named best documentary.

British actor Jude Law received an achievement award.

But Indigenes, which had received nine nominations, did not do as well as expected, winning only the best original screenplay award.

The film - released in English under the title Days of Glory - is about African soldiers in World War II and is on the shortlist for the best foreign language film at the Oscars.