N2. Palme d’Or – The Cannes International Film Festival
This was first introduced in 1955 as the highest prize of the festival.
But then it was replaced by the Grand Prix du Festival in 1964, just to be brought back in 1974.
The main goal was to have a different sculpture each year from a contemporary artist. The first sculpture was designed by jeweler Lucienne Lazon.
And the most recent design of the award, untouched since 1997 when it was designed by Caroline Scheufele, features a single crystal piece and a 24-carat gold palm hand cast into a wax mold.
The prize is given to the director of the best feature film. There is a policy during the festival forbidding the winner of the prize to receive any additional awards.
