Logo Palm Dog

The Palm Dog 2005 honours the canine protagonist of The Story of the Yellow Dog by Byambasuren Davaa

The shepherd dog in The Story of the Yellow Dog The shepherd dog in The Story of the Yellow Dog

Winners

  • Palm Dog: The shepherd dog in The Story of the Yellow Dog – directed by Byambasuren Davaa
  • Grand Jury Prize: Faithful in The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby – directed by John Henderson

The Jury

  • James Christopher - The Times
  • Charles Gant - Heat
  • Derek Malcolm - The Evening Standard
  • Hamish McAlpine - Producer

Celebrating an ancient bond

In 2005, while the greyhound from Pearse Elliot's The Mighty Celt went home empty-handed, Faithful, the Skye Terrier from The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby, did not leave without recognition. Thanks to his role as a devoted companion who spends 14 years by his master’s grave, the little dog won the Grand Jury Prize.

The top award went to the shepherd dog in Byambasuren Davaa's The Story of the Yellow Dog. In this German-Mongolian drama, the Palm Dog 2005 winner plays a shepherd dog found and raised by a young boy. Positioned on the border between documentary and fiction, the film highlights the ancient bond between humans and their four-legged friends, a perspective that deeply moved the jury.

“The film is naive, charming, and very beautiful to watch. It made me miss my dog Bruno, who is currently languishing in a kennel,” said jury member Derek Malcolm.

Hamish McAlpine with Harry and the distributor of The Story of the Yellow Dog
Ross Smith receives the Grand Jury Prize for The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby

An unexpected award

When Wolfram Skowronnek-Schaer, the film’s distributor, learned that the Palm Dog 2005 had been awarded to the canine hero of his film, he could hardly believe it.

He joyfully accepted the award on behalf of the winner at a ceremony organised for the first time by the UK Film Centre at the Cannes Festival International Village. “The dog is in Mongolia and we’ll do our best to bring it back,” he said while receiving the Palm Dog collar.

Having become a recognised and iconic award, the Palm Dog was proudly displayed alongside other accolades on the film’s promotional material in the United States a few months later.

The 2005 Selection

  • The Story of the Yellow Dog by Byambasuren Davaa

  • The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby by John Henderson

Previous Editions