Popular success but also recognition of the seventh art for the "Lost Illusions".

Xavier Giannoli's film received seven Césars on Friday February 25 in Paris.

The adaptation of the great novel by Honoré de Balzac notably won the César for best film.

The 49-year-old director did not come to the Olympia to receive his prize, which was collected by one of his producers, Olivier Delbosc.

His acid fresco on the press and its excesses, for which Benjamin Voisin, who plays the ambitious idealist Lucien de Rubempré, also received the César for best male hope, was a favorite for this 47th edition of the French cinema awards.

By rewarding "Lost Illusions", the Césars, sometimes criticized for their navel-gazing or their disconnection, bring triumph to one of the rare post-containment French films to have combined popular success (more than 870,000 admissions) and artistic ambition.

The complete winners of the 47th #César2022 Ceremony 😉👇 pic.twitter.com/xFcwszvBzf

– CANAL+ (@canalplus) February 26, 2022

A dreamlike tale for best direction

The other big winner, Leos Carax, was also absent.

His rock opera "Annette", distributed by Amazon, was awarded with five statuettes.

The 61-year-old Franco-American director is the first to achieve with this film the double César for best director and Prize for directing at Cannes, where it was screened at the opening of the last festival.

This dreamlike tale is carried by Marion Cotillard (an internationally renowned singer) and Adam Driver (a stand-up comedian), two passionate lovers who will become parents of a mysterious little girl.

Confirmed actors rewarded

Faced with the Hollywood actor named for "Annette", it was the Frenchman Benoît Magimel who received the César for best actor for his role as a terminally ill patient in "De son vivant" by Emmanuelle Bercot.

He had already received a César in a supporting role for "La tête haute" (2016), a male interpretation prize at Cannes for "La pianiste" (2001).

"I'm 47, it's the 47th Ceremony, maybe it's a sign"



Benoît Magimel, César for Best Actor for "De Son Vivant" #César2022 pic.twitter.com/mWh32eJeyS

– CANAL+ (@canalplus) February 25, 2022

It is also not a first for Valérie Lemercier, crowned best actress for her interpretation of Celine Dion in the true-false biopic that she devoted to the star of Quebec song, "Aline".

She had already won the César for best actress in a secondary role in 2001.

Australian actress Cate Blanchet, present at the ceremony, received an honorary Cesar for her entire career.

It was finally a non-professional who brought a touch of freshness to the evening: Aïssatou Diallo Sagna, midwife in civilian life, received her César for best supporting role for "La Fracture", a film about France from the yellow vests where she plays her own role.

"This Caesar is ours, the caregivers! It's our reward," she declared, beaming, to the press.

A small batch of surprises

Marked by scandals and flops, the Caesars were expected at the turn.

The ceremony passed without fuss or major incident, apart from a brief foray by comedian Marie s'infiltrates, who lifted her skirt and launched "Good evening, here is my ass! Happy tribute to culture".

See this post on Instagram

A publication shared by Marie S'Infiltre (@mariesinfiltre)

The war in Ukraine was on everyone's mind, as many stars on stage recalled.

Not to mention the disappearance of Gaspard Ulliel, who died a month ago, at the age of 37, in a skiing accident, which moved the director Xavier Dolan to tears. 

With AFP

The summary of the

France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_EN