The Cannes Film Festival jury headed by the Coen brothers and including Jake Gyllenhaal and Sienna Miller has awarded Jacques Audiard the Palme d'Or for his movie Dheepan. The gritty drama tells the story of refugees fleeing post-civil war Sri Lanka. 

Jacques AudiardJacques Audiard won the Palme d'Or for his gritty drama Dheepan

Elsewhere, holocaust drama Son of Saul won the Grand Prix - essentially the runner-up prize - while Vincent Lindon won Best Actor and Rooney Mara and Emmanuelle Bercot shared Best Actress.

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Audiard, who previously helmed festival favourites A Prophet and Rust and Bone, said: "To receive a prize from the Coen brothers is something pretty exceptional. I'm very touched. I'm thinking of my father."

Joel Coen said: "This isn't a jury of film critics. This is a jury of artists who are looking at the work."

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"This may not be the director's most immediately electrifying film, but in its understated way, it's an immensely powerful work," said The Guardian's Andrew Pulver.

The Jury Award went to Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos for The Lobster, a dystopian comedy starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz that had been tipped for the Palme d'Or. 

In all, there were 19 films screening in-competition though numerous high profiles films including Mad Max: Fury Road and Pixar's Inside Out were not competing for prizes. 

Still this year's festival is in danger of being remembered for its row over footwear, with numerous women - including an amputee - apparently turned away on the red-carpet for wearing flat shoes.

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