Director Jacques Audiard’s film Dheepan has won the Palme d’Or, a top film prize at Cannes.

It was a bit of a surprise for the critics when the jury chose the winning film, which is about refugees fleeing post-civil war Sri Lanka and going to France.

Director Jacques Audiard, left, delivers a speech after he was presented the Palme d’Or award by actress Cecile de France
Jacques Audiard collecting his award (Lionel Cironneau/AP/PA)

While Audiard has drawn widespread acclaim for films such as A Prophet and Rust and Bone, some critics were disappointed by the thriller climax of Dheepan.

“This isn’t a jury of film critics,” Joel Coen told reporters after the awards ceremony, alongside fellow jurors like Guilliermo del Toro and Jake Gyllenhaal.

“This is a jury of artists who are looking at the work.”

The win for Dheepan comes at a time when Europe is particularly attuned to the experience of immigrants, following the recent deaths of hundreds crossing the Mediterranean trying to get to Italy. Jury members, though, said Dheepan was chosen for its overall strength as a film, rather than any topicality.

Sophie Marceau, Jake Gyllenhaal, Joel Coen, Sienna Miller, Xavier Dolan, Rossy de Palma, Guillermo Del Toro, Rokia Traore and jury president Ethan Coen pose for photographers upon arrival for the awards ceremony at the 68th international film festival, Cannes
The jury members, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Sienna Miller, Joel and Ethan Coen (Thibault Camus/AP/PA)

“We all thought it was a very beautiful movie,” said Ethan Coen, calling the decision “swift.”

“Everyone had some high level of excitement and enthusiasm for it.”

Audiard, springing to the podium at the Palais des Festivals, accepted the award with warm gratitude.

“To receive a prize from the Coen brothers is exceptional,” said Audiard, who added that only receiving one from the Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, the Belgian filmmaking siblings, could equal it.

Director Laszlo Nemes, right, is presented the Grand Prix award by actor Mads Mikkelsen for the film Son of Saul during the awards ceremony at the 68th international film festival, Cannes
Director Laszlo Nemes picked up the Grand Prix award (Lionel Cironneau/AP/PA)

The Grand Prix (kind of like a runner up prize) went to Son of Saul, a Holocaust drama. Hou Hsiao-Hsien, a Taiwanese filmmaker, won best director for a martial arts drama – The Assassin.

Yorgos Lanthimos, a Greek filmmaker working in English for the first time, took the jury prize for his The Lobster, a deadpan dystopian comedy, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, about a near-future where unmarried singles are turned into the animal of their choice.

VIncent Lindon took Best Actor and Rooney Mara and Emmanuelle both got Best Actress.

Actress Emmanuelle Bercot with the Best Actress award for the film Mon Roi poses for photographers during a photo call following the awards ceremony at the 68th international film festival, Cannes
Emmanuelle Bercot shared the Best Actress prize (Thibault Camus/AP/PA)

Here’s the list:

Palme D’Or: Dheepan

Grand Prix: Son of Saul

Jury Prize: The Lobster

Best Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien

Best Actor: Vincent Lindon (The Measure of a Man)

Best Actress: Rooney Mara (Carol) and Emmanuelle Bercot (Mon Roi)

Best Screenplay: Chronic

Camera d’Or (Best first feature): La Tierra Y la Sombra