A Palme for an emblem
Since the creation of the Festival de Cannes in 1939, the palme has been an inseparable symbol of the event. Over the years, the institution has played with this emblem, staged it and redesigned its lines, until it became the embodiment of its most prestigious prize and its visual identity. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Palme d’or, we take a look back at the official representations of this symbol, a true reflection of the Festival and its international cinematographic influence.
Why a palme?
Originally, the palme refers to the coat of arms and motto of the city of Cannes: “Praemium palma victori”, meaning “The palme is the prize of the winner”. Legend has it that Saint-Honorat climbed a palme tree while praying, and obtained from God the destruction of the venomous snakes that were infesting the smallest of the Lérins islands, where he was staying, by causing a tidal wave. In gratitude, he founded an abbey on the island that today bears his name in the Bay of Cannes.
One palme, many palmes..
From its inception in 1939, the Palme, a distinctive feature of the city of Cannes, has been a fixture on official Festival documents, and has become the Festival’s defining symbol. In 1955, the Festival de Cannes adopted this symbol to create one of the most coveted trophies in world cinema today: the Palme d’or.
The Palme in its oval
In 1960, the Palme was featured prominently for the first time on a Festival poster, and in 1982, it made its first appearance in its oval on the official poster in the form of a logo.
In 2002, the Festival reinforced its visual identity. The use of the Palme symbol in the form of a charter, which is still in force today, makes it easier to identify the Festival’s image around the world, and highlights the unifying role of the Festival de Cannes with regard to the various initiatives it has created: Cinéma de Demain, Marché du Film, Village International and Immersive Competition.
