The stormiest and most beleaguered Cesar Awards ever passed off in Paris on Friday, with “Les Miserables” being named 2019’s greatest French movie whereas protesters lined the streets exterior the Salle Pleyel protesting the nominations for Roman Polanski’s “J’accuse,” which is called “An Officer and a Spy” exterior France.
Despite the furor, Polanski received two Cesar awards, one for greatest director and one other for tailored screenplay, which he shared together with his co-writer Robert Harris. His movie additionally received for its costumes.
It was Polanski’s fifth Cesar within the directing class, essentially the most of any director. His earlier awards have been for “Tess,” “The Pianist,” “The Ghost Writer” and “Venus in Fur.”
Despite all the eye on Polanski, the Oscar-nominated “Les Miserables” was the massive winner of the night time, taking house 4 awards. In addition to the best-film prize, director Ladj Ly’s taut drama additionally received for many promising actor (Alexis Manenti) and greatest modifying, in addition to taking the viewers award, the one class that’s chosen by members of the general public quite than the 4,000-plus voters within the Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences.
Also Read: ‘An Officer and a Spy’ Review: Roman Polanski Is No Emile Zola in This Listless Retelling of the Dreyfus Affair
The greatest actor prize went to Roschdy Zem for “Oh Mercy!” and greatest actress to Anais Demoustier for “Alice and the Mayor,” whereas the supporting actor and actress awards got to Swann Arlaud for “By the Grace of God” and Fanny Ardant for “La Belle Epoque,” respectively.
The awards for essentially the most promising actor and actress went to Alexis Manenti for “Les Miserables” and Lyna Khoudri for “Papicha,” respectively.
Polanski’s “An Officer and a Spy,” which dramatizes the Dreyfus affair through which a 19th-century French officer was unfairly convicted of treason, led all movies with 12 nominations from the Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences. The nominations for Polanski, who has been topic to a number of accusations of sexual misconduct, brought on widespread protests not simply in regards to the nominations however in regards to the group itself.
Earlier in February, greater than 400 members of the French Academy signed an open letter calling for a “complete overhaul” of the group, which is run by an unelected board of administrators. In response, the complete board resigned, efficient after the ceremony, and requested {that a} mediator oversee reforms.
This week, Polanski introduced that he wouldn’t attend the ceremony as a result of he anticipated it will flip right into a “public lynching.” None of the nominees from his movie attended the present, which didn’t cease ladies’s teams from organizing protests exterior the venue.
Also Read: French Directors’ Guild Looks to Suspend Roman Polanski Through Rule Change
Other movies that went into the present with a number of nominations included “Les Miserables” and “La Belle Epoque” with 11, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” with 10 and “By the Grace of God” and “The Specials” with eight.
Other winners on Friday included “Papicha” for greatest first characteristic movie, “M” for documentary and “I Lost My Body” for animated movie.
“La Belle Epoque” received for its unique screenplay and manufacturing design, whereas craft awards went to “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” for cinematography, “I Lost My Body” for music and “Le Chant du Loup” for sound.
The first non-English movie to win Best Picture on the Oscars, Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” beat “Joker,” “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and “Pain and Glory” within the Best Foreign Film class.
The Cesars usually happen simply earlier than the Oscars — however whereas the Academy scheduled this yr’s present on Feb. 9, the earliest date ever, the Cesars retained its typical late-February slot.
This is the entire listing of Cesar nominees. Winners are indicated by *WINNER.
Best Film
“La Belle Epoque”
“By the Grace of God”
“Les Miserables”…
