The Palm Dog awards, which honor the canine stars of the Cannes Film Festival, have announced this year’s winner: Kodi the griffon mix, who plays Cosmos in the Swiss comedy-drama “Dog on Trial.” Kodi narrowly beat out Xin, a sighthound from the Chinese drama “Black Dog,” who took home the Grand Jury Prize.
In a rare occurrence, both dogs were present in Cannes to receive their awards, which are dog collars instead of traditional medals. Kodi and Xin basked in the limelight, with Kodi barking along to the music and performing tricks, while Xin took a more relaxed approach, lying down on stage and enjoying the attention.
The Palm Dog awards, though not an official part of the Cannes Film Festival, have grown in popularity over the years. The event, held on the beachfront of Cannes’ famous Croisette, was well-attended by local dogs, their owners, and film festival journalists. The bar provided rose wine for the human guests and water bowls for the canine attendees.
Many past winners have not been present to accept their awards, such as last year’s winner, Messi, who played Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall.” In 2019, director Quentin Tarantino claimed the collar on behalf of Sayuri, who played Brandy the heroic pit bull in “Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood.”
For Kodi, a nearly 10-year-old rescue dog, the Palm Dog award marks the pinnacle of his career. In “Dog on Trial,” Kodi’s character is an unruly dog who bites a woman and is put on trial, with his life hanging in the balance. The film, inspired by a true story, explores themes of feminism and the status of dogs in society.
Taiwanese superstar Eddie Peng, who stars in “Black Dog,” attended the awards to support Xin, not only as her co-star but also as her owner. In the film, Peng plays a man ordered to remove stray dogs from his hometown before the Olympic Games. He adopted Xin after bonding with her on set.
Three additional prizes were awarded for the best “mutt moments,” recognizing standout performances by canine actors in other films at the festival.
While the Palm Dog awards may seem like the grand finale of the Cannes Film Festival, the actual film awards, including the prestigious Palme d’Or, were handed out on Saturday. The movie “Anora” took home the top prize.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.