- Title: FRANCE: 'PALM DOG' AWARDS
- Date: 20th May 2005
- Summary: (L!WE) CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 20 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) WIDE SHOT OF PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT AND (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOBY ROSE SAYING: "We now have the extremely lovely prize." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JURY MEMBER SAYING: "We now have the extremely lovely prizes, the prise this year goes to 'The Cave of the Yellow Dog'. WIDE SHOT AUDIENCE APPLAUDING
- Embargoed: 4th June 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CANNES, FRANCE AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: France
- Topics: Environment / Natural World,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA6LT8BBCHSUO05SAMPXB16VE83
- Story Text: Film mongrels descend on Cannes to bark it out for top honours at the at the annual 'Palm Dog' awards.
+++Note to editors: audio on this item is split track: CH1 Natural CH2 royalty free music. This item is available as a single track without atmospheric music if required+++ Forget the Palme d'Or, at least for now.
On the eve of the climax of the Cannes Film Festival, which wraps up on Saturday (May 21) with the award of the coveted Golden Palm, another little piece of cinema history was made.
Away from the bitchy, star-obsessed world of the human red carpet, a small, black and white Mongolian shepherd dog, its name unknown, picked up the Palm Dog, arguably the movie industry's highest accolade for canine cast members.
"Dogito Ergo Sum", the prize's motto reads.
Jury member James Christopher told reporters at the British film tent off the famed Croisette waterfront that the choice had been a difficult one.
"This has been an extremely difficult year for all of us, emotionally as well as everything else," he said on Friday (May 20).
"We had a serious argument about whether the Palm Dog could have been stolen by a lemming at one stage."
He was referring to competition film "Lemming", in which a lemming gets caught in the pipes below the kitchen sink.
The winner, who appeared in Mongolian film "The Cave of the Yellow Dog", was not in Cannes to receive the award, but Wolfram Skowronnek Schaer, a German involved in selling the film, picked it up on its behalf.
"I hope the dog is still alive," he said. "He is in Mongolia and we will do our best to bring this to him."
Harry, a small dog and president of the jury, posed for the paparazzi on the beach, digging the Palm Dog from the sand.
"There were a lot of dogs at Cannes this year," said Derek Malcolm, another jury member. "I stepped on one on my way back to the hotel last night."
Juror Hamish McAlpine accused Palm Dog host Toby Rose of trying to influence the panel's decision.
"The stress, the hassle I've had trying to prevent Toby's dog Mutley being awarded the prize this year," he said.
"He has bullied us ... and we've had to pay for our own drinks and never again will I be on the jury, unless, of course, Toby asks me back next year."
Honourable mentions this year went to a West Highland terrier in "Greyfriars Bobby", and canine actors in competition films "Broken Flowers" and "Don't Come Knocking". - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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