Second-time director PaoloSorrentino's mafia tale The Consequences of Love has won five David di Donatellos, Italy's Oscars,including best film, best director, best screenplay and best actor, beating outmulti-nominated contenders Sacred Heart and Manuale D'Amore.

The Consequences of Love tells the story of a 50-year-old Italianbusiness man who lives on his own in an anonymous Swiss hotel, and talks to noone for eight long years until he meets a young woman. Eventually, it emergesthat Di Girolamo works for a criminal network and carries a suitcase with amillion dollars in it across the border, once a week.

The film earnedits star, stage actor Toni Servillo, a best actor award, while DoP Luca Bigazziwon the best cinematography David.

Barbora Bobulova walked awaywith the best actress prize for Ferzan Ozpetek's drama Sacred Heart, about a ruthlessbusinesswoman who comes face-to-face with poverty on the streets of Naples.Despite its 12 nominations, the picture went home with only one otheraward, for best set design.

Romantic comedy ManualeD'Amore, which was also nominated in12 categories, saw Carlo Verdone and Margherita Buy both win best supportingactor prizes.

Saverio Costanzo won thebest newcomer award for Private,a drama about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Best foreignfilm went to Million Dollar Baby, while Alejandro Amenabar won the best European film.

Guests on handat the ceremony on Friday (April 29) in the Rome auditorium included Tom Cruiseand Hilary Swank.

Cruise, whoworked the walkway at length chatting to fans before the start of ceremony,delighted guests inside by delivering an acceptance speech in Italian for hislifetime achievement David. Cruise was also in town to promote StevenSpielberg's The War of the Worlds, ahead of its June release.

A beaming HilarySwank, who had taken time out from Bulgarian set of Brian De Palma's TheBlack Dahlia, thankedClint Eastwood as she received the best foreign film award. "If he washere, I'd tell him he is the best artist alive," she said.

Outside theauditorium, the ever-active 90-year-old director Mario Monicelli - who receiveda special career award - handed out fliers denouncing the Italian government'scuts to state funding and an ongoing deadlock with first and second time directorswho are still awaiting subsidies awarded 18 months ago.

Best film:
The Consequences ofLove, by PaoloSorrentino
Best director:
Paolo Sorrentino (The Consequences of Love)
Best new director
Saverio Costanzo - Private
Best Screenplay
Paolo Sorrentino - The Consequences of Love
Best Actress
Barbora Bobulova - Sacred Heart
Best Actor
Toni Servillo - The Consequences of Love
Best supporting actress
Margherita Buy - Manuale D'amore
Best supporting actor
Carlo Verdone - Manuale d'amore
Best editor
Claudio Cutry - Certibambini
Best producer
Rosario Rinaldi - CertiBambini
Best European film
The Sea Inside, Alejandro Amenabar
Best foreign film
Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood