What is the Palme d'Or?
The Palme d'Or, or Golden Palm, is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It goes to the best film in the festival's main competition.
The award was introduced in 1955, replacing the earlier Grand Prix. Its design is based on the palm trees along the Croisette, Cannes' seafront promenade, and the city's coat of arms. Since 1997, the trophy has been made by the Swiss jewelry company Chopard, crafted from gold on a crystal base.
Winners are chosen by the festival's jury. Famous Palme d'Or winners include Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, Pulp Fiction, The Piano, Parasite and Anatomy of a Fall. Jane Campion became the first woman to win, in 1993, and Julia Ducournau won with Titane in 2021.
Recent winners
Sean Baker's Anora won in 2024 and later won the Oscar for Best Picture. In 2025, Iranian director Jafar Panahi won for It Was Just an Accident. A handful of directors have won twice, including Francis Ford Coppola, Ken Loach and Michael Haneke.
Did You Know?
In 2013, the jury awarded the Palme d'Or to Blue Is the Warmest Color and also to its two lead actresses, an unusual decision.