The Count of Monte Cristo and Emilia Perez are among the most-nominated films for the 50th edition of the César awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscars. The ceremony, hosted by Catherine Deneuve, will take place on 28 February in Paris.
A big-budget French adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's epic novel, The Count of Monte Cristo leads the 2025 Césars with 14 nominations.
Directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patellière, it was a box-office hit, drawing 9.4 million spectators in France last year.
Lead actor Pierre Niney is the front-runner in the best actor category, but faces competition from Francois Civil who starred in the romantic drama hit of the year, Amour Ouf (Beating Hearts), which received 13 nominations.
Niney won a César in 2015 for his portrayal of fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent, while Civil has been nominated on several occasions over the years.
Civil's partner in Amour Ouf, Adèle Exarchopoulos has been nominated for best actress, 11 years after she won best upcoming female talent for La Vie d’Adèle.
French films storm Oscar nominations as Audiard's Emilia Perez breaks records
Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez, which broke records last week with 13 Oscar nominations, is up for 12 Césars, including best film and best director.
The surreal musical about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to life as a woman won both the Jury Prize and a collective best actress award at Cannes in 2024.
In fourth spot with eight nominations including best film and best director is L'Histoire de Souleymane (Souleymane's Story), an arthouse production that recounts the struggles of an undocumented food delivery cyclist in Paris.
The star of the film, Abou Sangare, was an undocumented migrant from Guinea with no previous acting experience when he was chosen at a casting call by director Boris Lojkine.
The 23-year-old was nominated for a Cesar in the breakthrough male actor category, while co-star Nina Meurisse was nominated as best actress.
Sangare, who was the subject of a deportation order, only recently obtained a work permit to stay in France legally as a mechanic.
Catherine Deneuve to host 50th edition of César cinema awards in 2025
Two honorary Césars
Catherine Deneuve, a two-time César winner, will host the awards alongside 12 other well-known figures from French cinema, including Jean-Pascal Zadi, star of the 2021 satire Tout Simplement Noir (Simply Black).
American actress Julia Roberts will receive an honorary César. She won an Oscar in 2001 for Erin Brockovich and became a household name with Pretty Woman in 1990.
The career of Franco-Greek filmmaker Costa-Gavras will also be honoured. President of the Cinémathèque Française museum, he won a César in 2003 for Amen, which condemned the Vatican’s silence during the Holocaust.
His latest film, Le Dernier Souffle (The Last Breath), about the end of life, is set for release in February.
The winners in 24 categories will be chosen by the 4,951 members of the César Academy.
(with AFP)
