45th César Awards

Awards ceremony

The 45th César Awards ceremony, presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, took place on 28 February 2020, at the Salle Pleyel in Paris to honour the best French films of 2019. Sandrine Kiberlain presided, and Florence Foresti as the host.

Controversy and protests dogged the Academy in the months running up to the ceremony. The entire board of directors of the César Academy resigned on 13 February 2020,[1] in response to complaints over the opaqueness of the process and the powerlessness of normal Academy members, who do not vote for nor otherwise exercise any control over the leadership of the Academy.[2] The other issue of protest was the 12 nominations received by Roman Polanski's J'Accuse (An Officer and a Spy in English), the most nominations of any eligible film. French feminists protested heaping honors on Polanski, who was convicted of raping a minor in California in 1978 but never served his sentence, and has additionally been accused of other incidents of rape.[3][4][5][6]

Winners and nominees

The nominees for the 45th César Awards were announced on 29 January 2020.[7][8][9][10]

Best Film
(presented by Sandrine Kiberlain)

Les Misérables − Produced by Toufik Ayadi and Christophe Barral; Directed by Ladj Ly

  • La Belle Époque − Produced by François Kraus and Denis Pineau-Valencienne; Directed by Nicolas Bedos
  • By the Grace of God − Produced by Nicolas Altmayer and Éric Altmayer; Directed by François Ozon
  • The Specials − Produced by Nicolas Duval Adassovsky; Directed by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache
  • An Officer and a Spy − Produced by Alain Goldman; Directed by Roman Polanski
  • Portrait of a Lady on Fire − Produced by Bénédicte Couvreur; Directed by Céline Sciamma
  • Oh Mercy! − Produced by Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat; Directed by Arnaud Desplechin

Roman PolanskiAn Officer and a Spy

Roschdy ZemOh Mercy! as Yacoub Daoud

Anaïs DemoustierAlice and the Mayor as Alice Heimann

Swann ArlaudBy the Grace of God as Emmanuel Thomassin

Best Supporting Actress
(presented by Emmanuelle Devos & Vincent Dedienne)

Fanny ArdantLa Belle Époque as Marianne Drumond

Alexis ManentiLes Misérables as Chris

  • Anthony BajonAu nom de la terre as Thomas Jarjeau
  • Benjamin Lesieur − The Specials as Joseph
  • Liam Pierron − La Vie scolaire as Yanis Bensaadi
  • Djebril Zonga − Les Misérables as Gwada

Lyna KhoudriPapicha as Nedjma 'Papicha'

La Belle ÉpoqueNicolas Bedos

An Officer and a SpyRoman Polanski and Robert Harris based on the novel by Robert Harris

Papicha − Mounia Meddour

Portrait of a Lady on FireClaire Mathon

  • La Belle Époque − Nicolas Bolduc
  • An Officer and a SpyPaweł Edelman
  • Les Misérables − Julien Poupard
  • Oh Mercy! − Irina Lubtchansky

Les Misérables − Flora Volpelière

  • By the Grace of GodLaure Gardette
  • An Officer and a SpyHervé de Luze
  • La Belle Époque − Anny Danché and Florent Vassault
  • The Specials − Dorian Rigal-Ansou

The Wolf's Call − Nicolas Cantin, Thomas Desjonquères, Raphaëll Mouterde, Olivier Goinard and Randy Thom

  • La Belle Époque − Rémi Daru, Séverin Favriau and Jean-Paul Hurier
  • An Officer and a Spy − Lucien Balibar, Aymeric Devoldère, Cyril Holtz and Niels Barletta
  • Les Misérables − Arnaud Lavaleix, Jérôme Gonthier and Marco Casanova
  • Portrait of a Lady on Fire − Julien Sicart, Valérie de Loof and Daniel Sobrino
Best Original Music
(presented by Esteban)

I Lost My Body − Dan Levy

An Officer and a Spy − Pascaline Chavanne

  • La Belle Époque − Emmanuelle Youchnovski
  • Edmond − Thierry Delettre
  • Joan of Arc − Alexandra Charles
  • Portrait of a Lady on Fire − Dorothée Guiraud

La Belle Époque − Stéphane Rozenbaum

MYolande Zauberman

I Lost My Body − Jérémy Clapin

La nuit des sacs plastiques − Gabriel Harel

  • This Magnificent Cake! (Ce magnifique gâteau !) − Marc James Roels and Emma de Swaef
  • Je sors acheter des cigarettes − Osman Cerfon
  • Make It Soul − Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo

Pile Poil − Lauriane Escaffre and Yvonnick Muller

  • Beautiful Loser − Maxime Roy
  • Le Chant d'Ahmed − Foued Mansour
  • Le Chien bleu − Fanny Liatard
  • Nefta Football Club − Yves Piat
Best Foreign Film
(presented by Alban Ivanov)

Parasite (South Korea) – Directed by Bong Joon-ho

Audience Award
(presented by Josiane Balasko)

Les MisérablesLadj Ly

Controversies

Roman Polanski's Best Director win for An Officer and a Spy was poorly received by the audience. Few clapped, and several audience members walked out in disgust, including Best Director nominee Céline Sciamma and Best Actress nominees Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant.[11][12]

Polanski as well as other crew members of An Officer and a Spy did not attend the ceremony.[5] No one was there to accept the award on Polanski's behalf.[11][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Communiqués de Presse: Renouvellement complet de la direction des César". L'Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma (in French). 14 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  2. ^ Dryef, Par Zineb (14 February 2020). "Le monde du cinéma français attaque le fonctionnement des Césars". Le Monde. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  3. ^ Marshall, Alex (14 February 2020). "Organizers of France's Oscars Resign, 2 Weeks Before Ceremony". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  4. ^ Alderman, Liz; Peltier, Elian (9 November 2019). "Roman Polanski Accused of 1975 Rape". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  5. ^ a b Roxborough, Scott (27 February 2020). "Roman Polanski Will Not Attend Cesar Awards". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ^ Marshall, Alex (28 February 2020). "Actors Walk Out After Roman Polanski Wins Best Director at France's Oscars". The New York Times.
  7. ^ "Roman Polanski's 'An Officer and a Spy' Leads France's Cesar Awards Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Polanski 'French Oscar' nomination sparks outrage". 29 January 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020 – via www.bbc.com.
  9. ^ Erbland, Kate (11 February 2020). "French Film Academy Members Call for 'Complete Overhaul' of César Awards After Weeks of Discord". Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  10. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (11 February 2020). "French Film Academy Vows Reforms Amid Membership Backlash & As César Awards Loom Under Threat Of Protest". Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Césars : Roman Polanski désigné meilleur réalisateur, " Les Misérables " meilleur film".
  12. ^ Crucchiola, Jordan (28 February 2020). "Portrait of a Lady on Fire Star Storms Out of Awards After Roman Polanski Wins". Vulture.
  13. ^ Willsher, Kim (1 March 2020). "Polanski's 'Oscar' divides elite world of French cinema". The Guardian.

External links

  • Official website
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Merit awardsSpecial awards
  • Honorary Award
  • Prix Daniel Toscan du Plantier
  • Trophée César & Techniques
  • Médaille d'Or
Retired awards
  • Film from the European Union (2002–2004)
  • Poster (1986–1990)
  • Producer (1995–1996)
  • Writing (Adaptation or Original) (1976–2005)
  • Best French Language Film (1984–1986)
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Award ceremonies