Every Cannes Palme d’Or Winner Since 1955, Ranked by Tomatometer
In 2019, Parasite director Bong Joon-ho described the Oscars as being “very local,” explaining that it was primarily considered the highest honor only in the United States. But you know what’s not a local award? The Palme d’Or, the top prize given by the appointed jury of the Cannes Film Festival.
Every year, the prestigious festival picks around 20-25 films to compete for its top prizes, and everything from semi-autographical musical fantasies (All That Jazz) and comic-adapted erotic romances (Blue Is the Warmest Colour) to biting political documentaries (Fahrenheit 9/11) have taken home what many consider the best filmmaking achievement in the world.
For our list, we’re only counting the films that have won the award since the prize was first called the Palme d’Or in 1955. That leaves out oldies like The Third Man, Gate of Hell, or The Wages of Fear, which won the top honor when it was called the Grand Prix (it’s worth noting that between 1964-1974 the Palme d’Or went back to being called the Grand Prix, before becoming the Palme d’Or again in 1975). That still leaves us with plenty of phenomenal films, which we’ve ranked by Tomatometer. Check to see where your favorites land, and we hope you discover a few hidden gems along the way. — Bryce Marrero
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