By Dave McCoy
MSN Movies

Also: History of Palme d'Or

First awarded in 1955, Cannes' highest honor -- the Palme d'Or -- is now considered one of cinema's most prestigious awards. Each year, a jury made up of international industry heavies (this year's group includes jury president Sean Penn, Natalie Portman, Marjane Satrapi ("Persepolis") and more) watches a selective lineup of "in competition" films from all over the world. After two weeks of screenings, the jury bestows the Palme d'Or (among other awards) in a ceremony that rivals the Oscars in terms of glitz.

This year, 22 films will compete for the Palme d'Or, which will be handed out on Sunday, May 25, 2008. Until then, here is a list of the films -- some adored, some loathed and many controversial -- that have won the award since its inception.

2007: '4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days'
2006: 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley'
2005: 'L'Enfant'
2004: 'Fahrenheit 9/11'
2003: 'Elephant '
2002: 'The Pianist'
2001: 'The Son's Room'
2000: 'Dancer in the Dark'
1999: 'Rosetta'
1998: 'Eternity and a Day'
1997: 'The Eel' and 'A Taste of Cherry' (co-winners)
1996: 'Secrets and Lies'
1995: 'Underground'
1994: 'Pulp Fiction'
1993: 'The Piano' and 'Farewell, My Concubine'
1992: 'The Best Intentions'
1991: 'Barton Fink'
1990: 'Wild At Heart'
1989: 'sex, lies, and videotape' 
1988: 'Pelle the Conqueror'
1987: 'Under the Sun of Satan'
1986: 'The Mission'
1985: 'When Father Was Away on Business'
1984: 'Paris, Texas'
1983: 'The Ballad of Narayama'
1982: 'Missing' and 'Yol'
1981: 'Man of Iron'
1980: 'Kagemusha' and 'All that Jazz'
1979: 'The Tin Drum' and 'Apocalypse Now' (A WORK IN PROGRESS)
1978: 'The Tree With the Wooden Clogs'
1977: 'Padre Padrone'
1976: 'Taxi Driver'
1975: 'Chronicle of the Years of Fire'
1974: 'The Conversation'
1973: 'The Hireling' and 'Scarecrow'
1972: 'The Working Class Goes to Heaven' and 'The Mattei Affair'
1971: 'The Go-between'
1970: 'M*A*S*H'
1969: 'If...'
1968: Festival was cancelled due to political unrest
1967: 'Blow-up'
1966: 'A Man and a Woman' and 'Signore e Signori'
1965: 'The Knack ... and How to Get It'
1964: 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'
1963: 'The Leopard'
1962: 'O Pagador de Promessas'
1961: 'Viridiana' and 'Une Aussi Longue Absence'
1960: 'La Dolce Vita'
1959: 'Black Orpheus'
1958: 'The Cranes Are Flying'
1957: 'Friendly Persuasion'
1956: 'The Silent World'
1955: 'Marty'