First animated winner of the Palm Dog Award

The first animated dog to win the Palm Dog Award was Yuki, the terrier-like family pet in the digital animation Persepolis (USA/France, 2007), who took home the PALM DOG collar at the ceremony in Cannes, France, in May 2007.

The 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 competing in the main selection, or being screened during the festivities. Traditionally, the diamanté PALM DOG collar was awarded to real dogs but the 2007 jury – a panel of international movie critics – concluded that Yuki gave the best performance by an individual canine of any kind in any movie that year.

In another Palm Dog first, the 2007 prize was shared, with the canine cast of strays in the Thai live-action movie Mid-Road Gang also acknowledged by the jury.

Persepolis directors Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud recevied the award in person at the beach-side ceremony, and Paronnaud barked with joy when receiving the much-coveted collar. Yuki was inspired by a real pet dog owned by Satrapi, whose biographical graphic novel inspired the animated movie.