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Timbuktu Cesar 2015
Culture

Cesar 2015: our favourites, our predictions and the winners

By No author
21/02/2015

 


Our favourites and our predictions
 
 

    THE BIG WINNERS OF THE CESAR 2015

TIMBUKTU - 7 César

LOVE AT FIRST FIGHT - 3 César

And the Cesar for best film goes to… TIMBUKTU

Timbuktu, was both our prediction and our favourite – also Oscar-nominated for best foreign language film. Abderrahmane Sissako tells with respect and lucidity the story of a Malian village being terrorised by jihadists who make their own rules. Overlooked at Cannes, this moving and powerful movie hits home and has won in preference to Saint Laurent, the 10-times-nominated film.

From 'Timbuktu'

Nominees: Love at First Fight, Eastern Boys, La Famille Bélier, Hippocrates, Saint-Laurent, Sils Maria, Timbuktu

Best actress goes to... Adèle Haenel

Some quite exceptional performers in 2014…

Juliette Binoche in Sils Maria
Marion Cotillard in Two days, One night
Catherine Deneuve in In the Courtyard
Emilie Dequenne in Not my Type
Adèle Haenel in Love at First Fight
Sandrine Kiberlain in Elle l'Adore
Karin Viard in La Famille Bélier

Our choice? Marion Cotillard. She was astounding in Two days, one night, impeccable in the role of Sandra, a fragile and vulnerable woman. Her performance was even recognised abroad, since she is in the running for the Oscar for Best Actress. But we thought that the French Academy would go for Adèle Haenel, and it has. She was simply  remarkable in the character of Madeleine in Love at First Fight – and it was a great chance to recognise Thomas Cailley’s amazing first film.

Adèle Haenel in 'Love at First Fight''

Best actor... goes to Pierre Niney in Yves Saint Laurent

The choice was even harder when it came to actors. Take a look at the nominations:

Guillaume Canet in Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart
Niels Arestrup in Diplomacy
Pierre Niney in Yves Saint Laurent
Gaspard Ulliel in Saint Laurent
François Damiens in La Famille Bélier
Romain Duris in The New Girlfriend
Vincent Lacoste in Hippocrates

Logically, one of the two Yves Saint Laurent performers, Niney and Ulliel, should have got the prize. And if you look at the nominations, the Academy seemed to be favouring Bertrand Bonello’s film; and we thought that Gaspard Ulliel would have been the one to be rewarded for Best actor on this basis. For our part, we had a real coup de coeur for Pierre Niney, a matter of taste, of sensibility… and mostly because it is Pierre Niney. But Guillaume Canet might actually end up with the Cesar, benefiting from the battle between the two Saint Laurent actors. He has never been rewarded as an actor by the Academy, and it would have been good to see him winning this prize for his great performance in Next Time I'll Aim for the Heart. Better luck next time Guillaume.

Guillaume Canet in 'Next Time I'll Aim for the Heart'

Best supporting actress... Kristen Stewart

Among the named actresses, we particularly liked Kristen Stewart in Sils Maria. But we had anticipated that Claure Gensac was probably going to win for Lulu in the nude; a great chance to recognise her 60-year career.

Claude Gensac and Karin Viard in 'Lulu in the nude'

Nominees: Marianne Denicourt in Hippocrates, Claude Gensac in Lulu in the nude, Izia Higelin in Samba, Charlotte Le Bon in Yves Saint Laurent, Kristen Stewart in Sils Maria.

Best supporting actor... Reda Kateb

We had given our vote with a capital “V” to Louis Garrel in Saint Laurent. Attracting, worrying, he is perfect in his role of dandy and decadent lover. But we thought that in the end Reda Kateb in Hippocrates would probably win the prize and he has; he is the real strength of a film nominated seven times.

Reda Kateb in 'Hippocrates'

Nominees: Eric Elmosnino in La famille Bélier, Guillaume Gallienne in Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Garrel in Saint Laurent, Reda Kateb in Hippocrates, Jérémie Rénier in Saint Laurent.

Best promising actress... Louane Emera

We gave our vote to Louane Emera for her incredible performance in La famille Bélier, both as an actress and a singer. In this way, this sweet and moving comedy would not be completely ignored in the Cesar ceremony. But we believed that Lou de Laâge, rising star of the French cinema will be the one to get the prize because she brings freshness and innocence to Mélanie Laurent’s film, Breathe, a delight.

Lou de Laâge in 'Breathe'

Best promising actor... Kevin Azaïs

Congratulatiosn to Kevin our favourite and predicted winner of the best promising actor: he is, as well, one of the new faces of the French cinema. In Love at First Fight, he captures our attention with his spontaneity and natural presence on the screen. He is simply brilliant.

Kévin Azaïs in 'Love at First Fight'

Best first debut film goes to... Love at First Fight

We would have loved to see May Allah Bless France rewarded, to recognise young actor Marc Zinga’s performance. But it we believed that Love at First Fight would get the prize. The film was a real discovery in 2014, a true marvel of freshness and joyfulness, thanks to the amazing acting of Adèle Haenel and Kévin Azaïs who have also received a Cesar.

'Love at First Fight'

Nominees: Elle l’adore by Jeanne Herry, Love at First Fight by Thomas Cailley, Fidelio, Alice's Odyssey by Lucie Borleteau, Party Girl by Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger by Samuel Theis, May Allah bless France by Abd Al Malik.

Best foreign film... Mommy

Our choice was The Grand Budapest Hotel, splendid, meticulous. And it was the first time its director, Wes Anderson, had been nominated for a Cesar. But Mommy was more likely to win; the Academy likes Dolan’s work, he had been nominated four times for a Cesar, but had never won a prize until now.

'Mommy'

Best director goes to... Abderrahmane Sissako

Our favourite: Olivier Assayas for Sils Maria. His film, beautiful from every angle, might just be left out in the 2015 Cesar ceremony, and that would not be right. Our prediction however: Bertrand Bonello for Saint Laurent. Both director and music composer, his impressive staging might clinch him the prize. In both

Gaspard Ulliel in 'Saint Laurent'

What about you? Your favourites, your predictions? All bets are off! Answers on 20 February, during the 40th Cesar ceremony.

Other Cesar 2015 winners
Other Cesar 2015 winners

 

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