One month before the 50th César Awards ceremony, the nominations will be revealed on Wednesday, with Jacques Audiard emerging as a strong contender.
After a resounding success at the Oscars, Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez is one of the frontrunners for the César nominations, set to be announced on Wednesday. This follows a flourishing year for French cinema, highlighted by successes such as L'Amour ouf and Le Comte de Monte-Cristo.
With less than a month to go before the 50th César ceremony, the Academy will unveil the names of the nominees across all 24 categories on Wednesday.
Who will succeed Anatomie d’une chute, which took home six César Awards last year, including Best Film and Best Director?
Expectations are high for Jacques Audiard, 72, and his Spanish-language musical comedy Emilia Perez, which tells the story of a Mexican drug trafficker undergoing a gender transition. Featuring stunning visuals and a dynamic soundtrack, the film has already set a record for a non-English-language film with 13 Oscar nominations.
Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, a box-office hit, also hopes to secure several nominations, including Best Actor for Pierre Niney, who has been a favorite among French audiences for years.
Additionally, L'Amour ouf by Gilles Lellouche, starring François Civil and Adèle Exarchopoulos, could earn multiple nominations, helping to bridge the gap between the Academy and a public often seen as disconnected.
The question remains: how much recognition will voters give to popular comedies, which are rarely rewarded? Un P’tit truc en plus by Artus, which attracted 10 million viewers with its cast of actors with disabilities, could deliver a surprise.
In the realm of auteur cinema, Le Roman de Jim and its lead actor Karim Leklou, as well as Borgo, a Corsican thriller featuring Hafsia Herzi, stand strong chances of being recognized. On the more niche side, Alain Guiraudie's Miséricorde, already a recipient of the Louis-Delluc Prize, and the drama En fanfare, driven by Pierre Lottin (Revelation) and Benjamin Lavernhe, are also among the favorites.
All these films share a common trait: they are directed by men. After honoring Justine Triet last year, will the César Academy edge closer to gender parity this time? The odds seem slim, though Louise Courvoisier has impressed critics and audiences with Vingt Dieux, a rural coming-of-age story featuring Maïwene Barthelemy, a likely contender for Best Female Newcomer.
For Best Male Newcomer, Abou Sangaré, the star of L’histoire de Souleymane, could receive a symbolic nomination in a political climate where immigration reforms are a hot topic.
Presided over by Catherine Deneuve, the 50th César Awards ceremony will take place on February 28 at the Olympia in Paris.
With AFP
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