Angolan movie "O Heroi" will represent the African cinema at Cannes Film Festival, France, from May 18 to 26, the Angolan official news agency ANGOP reported on Sunday.

The movie, a product of Angola's well-known movie director ZeZe Gamboa in 2003, tells the story of Victorio, a role interpreted by Senegalese artist Oumar Makena Diop, a former soldier that tries to restart his life after civil war.

The 27-year civil war devastated the southwestern African country when it was ended in April 2002.

Thanks to its recognized quality, the movie got an award in the 24th Sundance Film Festival for its best fiction in Utah, the United States, and the 3rd Continent Festival award of Nantes, France, where it received the Public Prize and in the Cinematographic cycles with the best debut movie prize.

It also received the Best Picture in the 19th Pan-African Cinema Festival and Television of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) organized in March since 2005, in Burkina Faso.

The 97-minute movie, played in Luanda after the civil war, counted on screenplay by Carla Baptista and production by Fernando Vendrell.

It included the participation of such famous artists as Milton Coelho Santos, Raul Rosorio, Neusa Borges, Oumar Makena Diop, Patricia Bull and Maria Ceica.

"O Heroi" is part of Angolan, Portuguese and French co- production.