6 Best Cannes Palme d'Or Winners of the 2000s

By Vlad Zakh · June 17, 2026

The Palme d’Or winners of the 2000s ran from harrowing drama to daring political statements. The White Ribbon unsettles a German village on the eve of World War I, The Wind That Shakes the Barley splits two Irish brothers over independence, and Fahrenheit 9/11 takes aim at the Bush administration after September 11. Elephant, The Pianist and Dancer in the Dark round out a decade that wasn’t afraid of discomfort.

The White Ribbon (2009)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 85% Metacritic 84

A German village's string of unexplained cruelties hints at the fascism its children will grow into.

Directed by Michael Haneke · 2h 24m · Rated R

Nominated for 2 Oscars62 wins & 49 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Two Irish brothers join the fight for independence, only to find themselves divided by the peace.

Directed by Ken Loach · 2h 07m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Acorn TV · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A provocative documentary on the Bush administration's response to the September 11 attacks and the wars that followed.

Directed by Michael Moore · 2h 03m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Darkroom · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Elephant (2003)

TMDB ★ 7.3

The ordinary rhythms of a single school day are shattered by a sudden and senseless act of violence.

Directed by Gus Van Sant · 1h 21m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Pianist (2002)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 95% Metacritic 85

A Jewish pianist fights to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War.

Directed by Roman Polanski · 2h 30m · Rated R

Won 3 Oscars57 wins & 74 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A nearly blind factory worker sacrifices everything to stop her son inheriting her degenerative disease.

Directed by Lars von Trier · 2h 20m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Cannes Palme d'Or Winners of the 2000s

The White Ribbon (2009)

The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Elephant (2003)

The Pianist (2002)

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

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