The film lost illusions served as the favorite for the 47e Cesar ceremony, with its fifteen nominations, and it was. This adaptation of the great novel by Honoré de Balzac, directed by Xavier Giannoli, won seven awards on Friday February 25, including that of the queen category for best film.
The 49-year-old director did not come to the Olympia to receive his award. “Xavier, I’m talking to you. You breathe, you sweat cinema. It’s exhilarating to work with you. Really, you deserve this Caesar”launched one of his producers, Olivier Delbosc, who came to accept the statuette for him
This acid fresco on the press and its excesses, popular success with more than 870,000 spectators in France, also earned the César for best male hope for Benjamin Voisin and that for best actor in a supporting role for Vincent Lacoste.
Anamaria Vartolomei was also crowned best female hope for her role in The Event, a punchy film regarding abortion, adapted from Annie Ernaux, which won the Golden Lion at Venice. Valérie Lemercier won the César for best actress for Aline, who totaled ten nominations but left with only one statuette, while Benoît Magimel received the prize for best actor in In his lifetime. For the best realization, it is Leos Carax who wins the statuette for his rock opera Annette, which totals five awards at the end of the ceremony.
Among the disappointed BAC Northwhich had seven nominations and leaves without any reward.
Tribute to Gaspard Ulliel
the 47e ceremony of the Caesars had opened with the promise of “don’t give lessons” in a world immersed in the Ukrainian crisis. “We will laugh, we will be moved, the essence of our job is to continue no matter what, even if the world collapses”declared the master of ceremonies, Antoine de Caunes, arriving on the stage of the Olympia. “Tonight, we are thinking of the Ukrainians. Let’s live up to the luck they don’t have,” he launched.
The ceremony was also “dedicated” in memory of Gaspard Ulliel, who died a month ago, aged 37, in a skiing accident. Xavier Dolan, director of Just the end of the world, the film which had won the César for best actor for Gaspard Ulliel in 2017, paid him a vibrant tribute on the stage of the Olympia.
Thank you Xavier Dolan for this tribute to Gaspard Ulliel ???? #César2022 https://t.co/XxsK3FFlaW
Director Arthur Harari, awarded with his co-screenwriter Vincent Poymiro a César for best original screenplay for Onoda, 10,000 nights in the jungleoffered one of the few forums of the evening, defending the cinema, threatened according to him by platforms that want “take all the space”. Facing her, he called the “decision makers” to have “more courage”for “allowing producers to have even more”.
Ceremony without fuss or incident
Marked by scandals and flops in previous years, the Caesars were expected at the turn. The ceremony took place without fuss or major incident (apart from a brief foray by comedian Marie s’infiltrates, who lifted her skirt and launched “Hello, here’s my ass!” Happy tribute to culture »), but without ever really taking off. The hearings on Saturday will tell if the formula has convinced.
It must be said that the heart was not really at the party, while the war was in everyone’s head, as many stars on stage recalled, including the Australian Cate Blanchett who received a long ovation and an honorary Caesar: “Difficult to think of anything other than Ukraine” she acknowledged.
It was finally a non-professional who brought a touch of freshness to the evening, when Aïssatou Diallo Sagna, a midwife in civilian life, received her César for best supporting role for The dividea film regarding hospitals and the France of yellow vests, where she plays her own role. “This Caesar is ours, the caregivers! This is our reward”she declared, beaming, to the press. “I am open to shooting other films. I am a wonderwoman! I can continue my job and shoot too. It is not incompatible. I have three children at home and bills to pay. I have to keep working”, she continued, confident that she would be back at her post at the hospital on Tuesday. Time to savor his trophy.
The complete list of Césars 2022:
Best film : lost illusionsdirected by Xavier Giannoli
Best Director: Leos Carax for Annette
Best Actress: Valérie Lemercier for her role in Aline
Best actor: Benoît Magimel for his role in In his lifetime
Best Supporting Actor: Vincent Lacoste in lost illusions
Best Supporting Actress: Aïssatou Diallo Sagna for The divide
Best foreign film: The Fatherdirected by Florian Zeller
Best first film: The Magneticdirected by Vincent Mael Cardona
Best Original Screenplay: Arthur Harari and Vincent Poymiro for Onoda, 10,000 nights in the jungle
Best set design: Riton Dupire-Clément for lost illusions
Best costumes: Pierre-Jean Larroque for lost illusions
Best Female Hope: Anamaria Vartolomei for her role in The Event
Best Male Newcomer: Benjamin Voisin for his role in lost illusions
Best Animated Short Film: Sweet madness, hard madnessdirected by Marine Laclotte
Best documentary short: Maelbeekdirected by Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis
Best animated feature film: Patrick Imbert for The Summit of the Gods
Best Documentary: The Snow Pantherdirected by Marie Amiguet and Vincent Munier
Best short film: The Bad Boys, directed by Elie Girard
Best sound: Erwan Kerzanet, Katia Boutin, Maxence Dussère, Paul Heymans and Thomas Gauder for Annette
Best adaptation: Xavier Giannoli and Jacques Fieschi for lost illusions
Best Editing: Nelly Quettier for Annette
Best Cinematography: Christophe Beaucarne for lost illusions
Best Original Score: Ron Mael and Russell Mael for Sparks for Annette
Best visual effects: Guillaume Pondard for Annette
Honorary Caesar: Cate Blanchett
