The 51st César ceremony, held at the Olympia on 26 , delivered a night that mixed celebration, homage and a broadly distributed list of winners. With Benjamin Lavernhe acting as host and Camille Cottin presiding over the proceedings, the evening highlighted emerging talent and honored established figures in French and international cinema. Among the evening’s most talked-about moments was the recognition of Nadia Melliti, who received the César for best female hope for her leading role in La Petite Dernière by Hafsia Herzi.
The ceremony combined awards across genres and careers: feature films, documentaries, animation, and shorts all found their place in a palmarès described by many attendees as remarkably balanced. The event also included emotional tributes — notably an homage to Jim Carrey and a standing ovation for director David Cronenberg — as the audience applauded performances and filmmakers who have shaped recent cinema.
Major winners and the L’Attachement, directed by Carine Tardieu, walked away with the César for best film and multiple other awards, showcasing strong momentum for the title. Richard Linklater received the César for best director for Nouvelle Vague, which also claimed technical distinctions including cinematography, editing and costume design. This spread underlined a consensus among voters that year: celebrate both auteur work and tightly crafted productions.
Leading acting prizes
Acting honors mirrored that equilibrium. Léa Drucker was awarded César for best actress for her role in Dossier 137, while Laurent Lafitte secured César for best actor for his performance in La femme la plus riche du monde. Supporting acting prizes went to Vimala Pons for best supporting actress in L’Attachement and Pierre Lottin for best supporting actor for L’Étranger. These selections emphasized both dramatic range and the depth of the current French acting pool.
New voices and craft recognitions
Beyond established names, the ceremony put the spotlight on emerging performers and creative teams. The César for best female hope was awarded to Nadia Melliti for La Petite Dernière, praised for her freshness and emotional truth on screen. The César for best male hope went to Théodore Pellerin for his role in Nino, which also won the César for best first film. In technical categories, Arco was recognized as best animated film while the documentary Le chant des forêts and its maker Vincent Munier were celebrated for their immersive craft and storytelling.
Screenplay and adaptation
Writing awards reflected a range of tones and approaches: the César for best original screenplay was given to Franck Dubosc and Sarah Kaminsky for Un ours dans le Jura, while adaptation honors went to Carine Tardieu, Raphaële Moussafir and Agnès Feuvre for L’Attachement. These recognitions highlighted both comic sensibilities and intimate, character-driven narratives that resonated with the academy voters.
Notable tributes and memorable moments
The evening featured moving speeches and moments that punctuated the awards. A tribute to Jim Carrey marked one of the highlights, honoring his influence and career; in a separate emotional beat, attendees stood to applaud David Cronenberg. Presenters and winners, including Vimala Pons, Vincent Munier and Nadia Melliti, gave speeches that ranged from deeply personal to playfully theatrical, and host Benjamin Lavernhe delivered his musical and comedic numbers that punctuated the program.
Complete palmarès overview
The full list of winners included: César for best film to L’Attachement; best director to Richard Linklater for Nouvelle Vague; best actress to Léa Drucker for Dossier 137; best actor to Laurent Lafitte for La femme la plus riche du monde; best supporting actress to Vimala Pons; best supporting actor to Pierre Lottin; best female hope to Nadia Melliti; best male hope to Théodore Pellerin; best animated film to Arco; best documentary to Le chant des forêts; best first film to Nino; best original score to Arnaud Toulon for Arco; plus awards in sound, photography, montage, costumes, sets, visual effects and short film categories honoring a wide array of creative contributors.
The night will be remembered for its balanced palmarès, the warmth of its tributes, and the spotlight it shone on talents like Nadia Melliti and many others driving the industry forward.