Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Palme d'Or is the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival, given each year to the director of the best feature film in official competition. The name translates from French as "Golden Palm," a reference to the coat of arms of the city of Cannes. The award was introduced in 1955.
Delbert Mann was the first director to win the Palme d'Or, for his film Marty, in 1955. He received the inaugural prize when the Cannes Film Festival's organizing committee introduced the award that year.
The Swiss jewellery firm Chopard has manufactured the Palme d'Or since 1997, following a redesign by Caroline Scheufele. The palm is formed from 4.16 ounces of 18-carat yellow gold and rests on a single piece of cut crystal. The original design was created by Parisian jeweller Lucienne Lazon, based on a sketch by the director Jean Cocteau.
Abdellatif Kechiche auctioned off his 2013 Palme d'Or to fund his next feature film. He told The Hollywood Reporter the ceremony had "publicly insulted" him, and described the sale as "a way of washing my hands of this sorry affair." His dissatisfaction stemmed from the jury's decision to award three separate Palme d'Or trophies for Blue Is the Warmest Color, including to the film's two lead actresses.
As of 2026, three female directors have won the Palme d'Or: Jane Campion for The Piano, Julia Ducournau for Titane, and Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall. At the inaugural 1946 festival, Bodil Ipsen co-directed The Red Meadows, which shared the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film in an 11-way tie.
The 2020 Cannes Film Festival was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival announced 56 official selections but presented no awards. It was the first time since 1968 that no prizes were given at Cannes.