The 51st César Awards lit up the Olympia on 26, a night where French cinema’s traditions met fresh, international voices under one gilded roof. Camille Cottin presided over the evening while Benjamin Lavernhe guided the show with his familiar wit. The ceremony blended warm tributes, political interventions and a clear spotlight on the next generation of talent.
Canal+ carried the broadcast live. The trophies rewarded a wide range of work — from intimate French dramas to films with transatlantic pedigrees — and the choices of the Academy made clear that memory and discovery remain twin priorities for France’s film community.
Major winners and acting honors L’Attachement, directed by Carine Tardieu, took home Best Film. The jury praised its tender, unsentimental treatment of grief and human connection; the film also won Best Adaptation and a supporting acting prize. Onstage, Tardieu framed the awards as recognition of a collaborative process — a reminder that a director’s name sits atop a long list of contributors.
Léa Drucker was awarded Best Actress for Dossier 137, a performance critics lauded for its moral complexity and controlled intensity. Laurent Lafitte won Best Actor for La Femme la plus riche du monde, earning plaudits for conveying a character who constantly negotiates ambition and affection. Supporting awards went to Vimala Pons for her work in L’Attachement and Pierre Lottin for a memorable supporting turn; both were singled out for their subtlety and emotional depth.
Rising stars and the talent pipeline The Academy made a point of celebrating emerging artists. Nadia Melliti took the César for Most Promising Actress for La Petite Dernière, while Théodore Pellerin joined the list of notable breakthrough performers. These prizes often function like career accelerators, giving young actors greater visibility and opening doors to new projects.
Directing, craft awards and international presence Richard Linklater won Best Director for Nouvelle Vague, a film that reimagines a chapter of French cinematic history from an outsider’s perspective. Though it didn’t claim Best Film, the production walked away with several technical prizes — editing, cinematography and costume among them — underscoring how the Academy values craft as much as concept.
Animated and documentary work also shone. Arco captured Best Animated Film and Best Original Score, while Le Chant des forêts was named Best Documentary and took home a sound-design prize. These wins reflect the increasingly high ambitions and production values across non-fiction and animated filmmaking.
The night also reached across borders: the Best International Film award acknowledged a much-discussed foreign entry, and the Honorary César went to Jim Carrey. The tribute mixed archival clips and personal anecdotes, painting a portrait of an artist whose range spans broad comedy and poignant drama.
Politics, conscience and the spirit of the evening Speeches throughout the night ranged from quiet personal thanks to pointed calls for change. Winners used their moments in the spotlight to address working conditions, funding for culture, diversity on and off camera, and solidarity with vulnerable communities. Several presenters and recipients appealed for stronger protections for artists and for clearer safety nets for those at risk — reminders that awards season is also a stage for civic engagement.
The ceremony balanced elegiac moments and renewal: montages and an in memoriam segment honored those the industry lost this year, while orchestral interludes and film clips kept the evening cinematic and properly theatrical. Pacing felt respectful of tradition without being stuck in it.
Canal+ carried the broadcast live. The trophies rewarded a wide range of work — from intimate French dramas to films with transatlantic pedigrees — and the choices of the Academy made clear that memory and discovery remain twin priorities for France’s film community.0
Canal+ carried the broadcast live. The trophies rewarded a wide range of work — from intimate French dramas to films with transatlantic pedigrees — and the choices of the Academy made clear that memory and discovery remain twin priorities for France’s film community.1
Canal+ carried the broadcast live. The trophies rewarded a wide range of work — from intimate French dramas to films with transatlantic pedigrees — and the choices of the Academy made clear that memory and discovery remain twin priorities for France’s film community.2
Canal+ carried the broadcast live. The trophies rewarded a wide range of work — from intimate French dramas to films with transatlantic pedigrees — and the choices of the Academy made clear that memory and discovery remain twin priorities for France’s film community.3