Those behind The Wrestler received a standing ovation from some reporters during the US film's press conference, as parallels were drawn with Rourke's own troubled past.

Much mention has been made of a lack of a Hollywood presence at this year's festival.

But as the event draws to a close, excitement mounted as Rourke was tipped to scoop "best actor" awards.

Rourke plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who has a blossoming romance with an ageing stripper, played by Marisa Tomei.

In the 1980s, Randy was a headlining professional wrestler, but 20 years later he ekes out a living performing in gyms and community centres around New Jersey.

The film, darkly comical in parts, shows Randy strive to keep up his image, getting his hair roots bleached and topping up his tan, as well as the violently imaginative props used among the wrestlers, including barbed wire and even a staple gun.

Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood), a heart attack forces him into retirement. But the lure of wrestling threatens to draw him back in as he struggles to come to terms with everyday life, working on a delicatessen counter, his blond tresses beneath a hair net.

Describing his character, Rourke said: "There is no worse feeling to be feeling shameful all the time... and usually you're to blame for it.

"You have nobody to blame but yourself. The Ram is a mess."