Can Timbuktu upset IDA for foreign film at the Oscars? The big winner of the 40th annual César Awards (aka the French Oscars) was the Oscar-nominated foreign language film from Mauritania, Timbuktu. It took home seven prizes but despite the excitable headlines 'round the web it wasn't quite a clean sweep and not quite super dominant since it had no acting nominations. But it did terrifically well, all told, losing only one of its 8 nominations, Set Decoration, to another retelling of The Beauty and the Beast starring new TFE obsession Léa Seydoux. Can we please get that one stateside?
Saint Laurent, France's Oscar submission this season (mixed reviewed but also loved by Team Experience) won only Costumes. If it had such restrained love at home, one wonders why France submitted it as it was not typical Oscar bait - way too gay/risque for AMPAS.
The history-making news is that Kristen Stewart became the first American woman to win a competitive César for acting (Adrien Brody won for The Pianist previously). The César Awards often give American stars tributes and honoraries (like Scarlett Johansson last year and Sean Penn this time) but they don't regularly compete and they certainy don't win. The prize was Best Supporting Actress for Clouds of Sils Maria. We can vouch that she's just fantastic in it as the close confidante / personal assistant of Juliette Binoche's diva actress. Their chemistry is, as Margaret said, "insane".
Which is why this part of Kristen's acceptance speech is so great...
THE WINNERS
FILM Timbuktu
DIRECTOR Abderrahmane Sissako, Timbuktu
ACTRESS Adele Haenel, Love at First Fight. This 26 year-old rising star was up against major French divas like Deneuve, Cotillard, Binoche, and Viard but she won anyway. You may recognize her from the popular export Water Lilies (2008)
ACTOR Pierre Niney, Yves Saint Laurent
Both Saint Laurents from the competing biopics were nominated but Niney beat Gaspard Ulliel to the gold
SUPPORTING ACTRESS Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria
SUPPORTING ACTOR Reda Kateb, Hippocrates
You'll recognize him as the key tortured prisoner in Zero Dark Thirty and from his major role in Un Prophete.
NEW ACTRESS Louane Emera, The Belier Family
She got famous on France's version of "The Voice" so really Reality TV as fame breeding ground is a pan cultural virus
NEW ACTOR Kevin Asais, Love at First Fight
Here's the trailer to that film which won 3 Césars - looks like a youth in the military romance of sorts?
and the rest
FIRST FILM Love at First Fight by Thomas Cailley
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Timbuktu
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Diplomatie
COSTUMES Saint Laurent
Léa Seydoux and Vincent Cassell starred in a new version of this oft told fairy tale
SET DECORATION The Beauty and the Beast (pictured above)
CINEMATOGRAPHY Timbuktu
EDITING Timbuktu
SOUND Timbuktu
ANIMATED FILM Miniscule (our review - it beat the Oscar nominated Song of the Sea)
MUSIC Timbuktu
DOCUMENTARY The Salt of the Earth (the only overlap nominee with Oscar's parallel category)
SHORT FILM Le Femme de Rio
ANIMATED SHORT Les Petits Caillous
And the Honorary César went to SEAN PENN of course who the French Academy dubbed:
A mythical actor, an activist and an exceptional director... a unique icon of American cinema.
Marion Cotillard presented Sean Penn with his Honorary César
Charlize Theron was his date of course. Things are very official now.