Kylie Minogue at Cannes in bizarre 'Holy Motors'

CANNES, France (AP) -- Holy cow. The most rapturous audience reception at the Cannes Film Festival has gone to "Holy Motors," a disorienting, whirling dream of a movie by French director Leos Carax.

The film stars Denis Lavant as a man who adopts multiple personas, and includes surrealist scenes, tender moments, a song by pop star Kylie Minogue and the unexpected appearance of bonobo monkeys.

The movie drew whoops and cheers at the end of its first press screening.

"This is what we have all come to Cannes for," said The Guardian newspaper. Screen International was less impressed, judging it "a self-conscious upmarket weird-out."

Just don't ask Carax what he wants the public to take away from the film. The director said Wednesday that "I don't make public films, I make private films."