Fur-st Prize For Icelandic Sheep Dog At Cannes Canine Competition May 24, 2025

Credit: Sphinx Cinema.Lola receives the Palm Dog award on behalf of the dog named Panda, winner of the award for his best canine performance in the film "The Love that Remains" (L'Amour qu'il nous reste) during the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 23, 2025.

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Fur-st Prize For Icelandic Sheep Dog At Cannes Canine Competition

A sheep dog which features in Icelandic family drama "The Love That Remains" herded its way to a top prize for canine performers at the Cannes film festival on Friday, organisers announced.

The "Palm Dog" -- a play on the Palme d'Or, which will be awarded to the best film on Saturday -- is a light-hearted celebration of mutts in front of the camera, which is now in its 25th year.

Icelandic director Hlynur Palmason cast his pet, Panda, in "The Love That Remains", his poignant story about a couple navigating a separation and the impact on their family.

"This film that has won is about a family, and it's so beautiful and so authentic to the vibe of a family," Palm Dog jury member Wendy Mitchell, author of the book "Citizen Canine", told reporters.

Mitchell praised "a wonderful naturalistic performance from this dog", addressing a crowd of influencers, pet lovers, and journalists at a beach-front venue in Cannes.

The decision was greeted with cheers and barking, while Palmason sent a video of Panda looking bemused on the front seat of his car as the win was announced.

The second Grand Jury prize went jointly to two pooches who appear in rave-themed road trip movie "Sirat", including one that eats an LSD-laced poo.

Past Palm Dog winners have included Brandy from "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Director Quentin Tarantino picked up that award.

Tilda Swinton accepted the prize in 2021 on behalf of her real-life dogs for their roles in "The Souvenir".

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