Latest news with #PalmDogWoopets
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Cannes 2025: Palm Dog Woopets returns to honour iconic canine stars and real-life heroes with collars, cheers and cinema love
As the Cannes Film Festival continues to be a centre stage for global cinema, it also shines a light on an unconventional set of star dogs. The Palm Dog Woopets awards, now in its 25th year, continues to honour the best performances by canines on screen. Established in 2001, the award is presented by a jury of film critics and includes categories that celebrate dogs in both live-action and animated films. The award ceremony will take place this year on May 23 at the La Plage du Festival restaurant. Winners receive a leather dog collar as the official prize. Origin of Palm Dog Woopets and its founder The award was founded by UK-based cinema journalist Toby Rose. His idea was sparked by attending Cannes with his fox terrier, Mutt. Rose noticed that his dog was warmly received by celebrities and the public, which led him to realise Cannes was a dog-friendly space. In a 2024 interview with The New York Times, Rose said, 'Cannes is a good place for dogs to get a showcase because the French have a very sensible approach to dogs.' He highlighted how dogs were welcome even in restaurants, unlike the norms in many Anglo-Saxon countries. The award's name is a playful nod to Cannes' prestigious Palme d'Or. Award categories and their growth Over the years, the Palm Dog Woopets award has expanded into several categories. These include the main 'Palm Dog' award for outstanding canine performance in both live-action and animated films, the 'Mutt Moment' for the best short canine appearance, and the 'Palm DogManitarian' for those contributing significantly to canine welfare. The diversity of categories reflects the award's growing popularity and relevance. Notable winners and star presence over the years Since its inception, the award has seen high-profile moments. Otis, a shepherd-basenji mix, was the first recipient in 2001 for The Anniversary Party, with Jennifer Jason Leigh accepting the award. In 2019, Quentin Tarantino attended to support Brandy from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In 2021, Tilda Swinton accepted the award for her three dogs—Rose, Dora, and Snowbear—for The Souvenir II. Uggie from The Artist received a posthumous award in 2020, while Dug from Up and Bruno from The Triplets of Belleville are among the celebrated animated winners. Recognising hero dogs The Palm Dog Woopets also honours real-life canine contributions. In 2022, a Jack Russell terrier named Patron received the DogManitarian award for detecting mines in Ukraine as part of the State Emergency Service. The award ceremony now includes international sponsors and media coverage, signalling that it has grown beyond novelty status. According to its website, the event is 'a vibrant tribute to our four-legged friends and their unique contribution to cinema.'
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Cannes 2025: How the Palm Dog awards celebrate the best canine performers on screen
While Cannes is revered today for the film personalities in attendance, as well as the films in contention, the film festival has begun to witness a new kind of celebrity: four-legged canines who enjoy their moment of fame at the prestigious event. Celebrating their on-screen talent each year is the Palm Dog Woopets — an annual award ceremony honouring the best canine performance on screen. The prize, a leather dog collar, is presented by film critics, who also comprise the jury. Instituted in 2001, the award that coincides with the film festival celebrates 25 years this year. The official website of Palm Dog Woopets, notes, 'From animated films to acclaimed dramas, Palm Dog Woopets honours the most memorable canine performances, showcasing the diversity and richness of the relationship between filmmakers and their loyal companions.' This year, the ceremony will be held at the beachside restaurant La Plage du Festival on May 23, awarding dogs across different categories. Named after Cannes' highest honour, the Palme d'Or, Palm Dog Woopets was founded in 2001 by UK-based cinema journalist Toby Rose, who reportedly visited the Cannes Film Festival with his fox terrier named Mutt. Over the years, he noticed how film personalities and celebrities warmly welcomed Mutt. 'Cannes is a good place for dogs to get a showcase because the French have a very sensible approach to dogs,' Rose stated to The New York Times in a 2024 article. He added, 'They are always pretty much without exception welcome to join in restaurants, which I know to the Anglo-Saxon American and Brits is almost heresy.' According to the idea of the award stemmed from Mutt and Rose's desire to celebrate the best canine performances at the Cannes Film Festival. This year, the awards in contention include: Over the years, famous film stars and directors have accepted awards and delivered speeches on behalf of the winning dogs in their films, while prominent international film critics sit on its jury. The very first recipient of the Palm Dog in 2001 was Otis, a shepherd-basenji mix, lauded for its performance in Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming's The Anniversary Party. Jason Leigh accepted the award on Otis's behalf. Celebrated American filmmaker-actor Quentin Tarantino attended the 2019 ceremony to support Brandy, a pit bull who was Brad Pitt's companion in the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In 2021, British actor Tilda Swinton's three dogs, Rose, Dora and Snowbear, who starred with her in Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir II, won the coveted award, which Swinton accepted on their behalf. While The Artist won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2011, its endearing canine star Uggie, was awarded at Cannes. The Jack Russell terrier, who passed away in 2015, was also posthumously awarded The 'Palm Dog of Palm Dogs' award in 2020 in a virtual ceremony held during Covid, where its trainer Omar von Muller accepted the award on its behalf. Moses in Lars von Trier's experimental drama film Dogville (2003) and Nellie as Marvin in Paterson (2016) are other prominent recipients of the award. Animated canines have also been declared winners, including Dug from the Academy Award-winning Up (2009) and the beloved pooch Bruno from The Triplets of Belleville (2003). The award ceremony recognises dogs beyond the cinema field: In 2022, Patron, a bomb-sniffing Jack Russell terrier who worked with the State Emergency Service in Ukraine, was awarded the DogManitarian for saving lives by detecting Russian mines in Ukraine. The growing categories of the awards also exemplify the popularity of the festival. Its website states, 'With sponsors, celebrities, and international media coverage, Palm Dog Woopets is now much more than a joke: it's a vibrant tribute to our four-legged friends and their unique contribution to cinema.'
