A French thriller spotlighting the plight of traumatised refugees building new lives, "Dheepan", captured the Palme d'Or top prize at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday.

As countries around the world grapple with an influx of people fleeing global crises, a jury led by Hollywood filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen chose the gritty picture by acclaimed French director Jacques Audiard among 19 international contenders.