First winner of the Palm Dog

The first winner of the Palm Dog Award was Otis, a Shepherd/Basenji mix owned by the American actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, who appeared in the rom-com The Anniversary Party (USA, 2001). Otis later received a collar engraved with “PALM DOG”, which has since become the annual prize for the top dog.

The now-annual Palm Dog was created by Toby Rose during the 2001 Cannes Film Festival to recognize a dog (or group of dogs) for the best performance in a movie. All winners receive the coveted PALM DOG collar. The jury for the first ceremony, held in the British Pavilion within the Cannes International Village, comprised movie critics Derek Malcolm (London Evening Standard) and Dana Thomas (Newsweek International), presided over by Mutt, a fox terrier owned by Rose.

The Anniversary Party follows the lives of Sally and Joe Therrian, a couple played by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming, as they celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary. Otis’s role as the couple’s pet was to run around and bark on set, adding to the chaotic narrative of the movie. The movie was certified by the American Humane Society.