By choosing the winner of the Palm Dog 2023, best four-legged actor in the various competitions on the Croisette, the jury let themselves be “captivated” by a real “canine cinematic performance”. And it must be admitted, in Anatomy of a fall, Justine Triet’s film in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival, Messy has everything a great actor has to offer. The boarder collie who embodies Snoop, the guide dog of a visually impaired child, particularly impresses in a moving scene. He simulates, with force and conviction, the disease.
Absent during this ceremony organized this Friday, the winner was represented by a close cousin, of the same race. Laura Martin, animal coach, his partner during the filming had left a video message. This award “is the fruit of a whole lot of work,” she explained, leaving Messy to also thank the public in her own way.
Dogs stealing the show from (real) actors
This year, in front of “the range of performances”, this parallel award even made small. Two other four-legged stars have notably been crowned. Chaplin, seen in Dead leaves by Aki Kaurismäki, the director’s own dog, will be able to decorate his basket with a Grand Jury Prize. The two main actors of the film, Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, came in person to collect the necklace this Friday.
The stunning Susie, who embodies the role of Sultan in Vincent must die (Semaine de la critique), for its part won the “incredible performance award”. A minimum for our journalist Caroline Vié and the actors of the film themselves who campaigned for the Staffordshire Bull-Terrier to win the prize… dog. “You shouldn’t believe that all animals are good actors. Suzie is exceptional,” explained Karim Leklou, who was literally upstaged.
The Palm Dog jury preferred Messy. And also awarded a final award, the Grand Prix d’honneur, not to a dog but to a filmmaker: the British Ken Loach, “for his entire career with a special mention” for his film The Old Oak, in competition. A ball of fur named Marra monopolizes there too, the very first roles. The necklace was given to the director by Yoann Latouche, the organizer of this ceremony which really has dog.