Paris (AFP)
Roman Polanski for his latest film "J'accuse" and "Les Misérables" by Ladj Ly, shortlisted for the Oscars for the best foreign film, are the main winners of the 25th Prix Lumières awarded Monday evening by the international press stationed in Paris.
Roman Polanski, who was not present at the ceremony, was distinguished by the award for the staging for his feature film devoted to the Dreyfus affair, released in full controversy after an accusation by the French photographer Valentine Monnier, who says she was raped by the director in 1975 at the age of 18, in Switzerland.
Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in September, "J'accuse" had an eventful outing with sessions canceled due to blockages by feminist activists. The film, however, recorded a historic start in the director's career with more than 500,000 viewers in the first week, crossing the milestone of 1.5 million seats in early January.
Jury Prize at Cannes, "Les Misérables" by Ladj Ly was rewarded with three Lumières trophies (film, script and male revelation for Alexis Manenti).
Broadcast from L'Olympia in Paris live on Canal +, the ceremony also distinguished "Portrait of the young girl on fire" by Céline Sciamma with two awards (best actress for Noémie Merlant and best image for Claire Mathon).
Roschdy Zem won the Lumières Prize for best actor for her interpretation in "Roubaix, une lumière" by Arnaud Depleschin, while Nina Meurisse was crowned female revelation in "Camille" by Boris Lojkine.
The Lumiere Prize for documentary went to "M" by Yolande Zauberman and that for animation to "I lost my body" by Jérémie Clapin, in the running for the Oscars.
The trophy for best music was awarded to Alexandre Desplat for "Adults in the Room" by Costa-Gavras.
"Nevada" by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre won the Lumières award for the first feature film and "It must be heaven" by Elia Suleiman, for the best international co-production.
The Lumiere Awards Academy, made up of 130 press correspondents representing more than forty countries, paid special tribute to director Costa-Gavras for his contribution to the global influence of French cinema and to actor Roberto Benigni.
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