Ken Loach wins Palme d'Or at Cannes for "I, Daniel Blake."

PARIS (AP) — Veteran British director Ken Loach won his second Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival Sunday for "I, Daniel Blake" — a stark portrayal of a disabled man's struggle with the crushing benefits system in northern England.

Accepting the award, the silver-haired Loach punched his fists in the air in victory and said that he hoped his gritty, social realist movie would hold a mirror up to the impact of Europe's policies of austerity on the poorest in society.

Canadian director Xavier Dolan picked up the runner-up Grand Prize, which has been seen by some critics as a vindication for him personally after his film "It's Only The End Of The World" garnered lukewarm reviews and triggered a spat between him and certain film critics.

Despite mixed reviews, director Asghar Farhadi's film "The Salesman" picked up several awards including best screenplay and best actor for Shahab Hosseini.