CESAR 2020 – The ceremony which rewards the best of French cinema takes place in a week. Back on the controversies that have stirred the Caesars since January.
[Mis à jour le 21 février 2020 à 11h56] The Academy of Caesar has experienced many turbulences in recent weeks. After revealing the full list of nominations for the 2020 ceremony, the controversy ignites around the 12-time nomination of J’accuse, the latest film by Roman Polanski accused of rape by several women. A few days later, many personalities signed a forum denouncing the internal functioning of the Academy of Cinema Arts and Technology. Several artists criticized in particular “opacity” in the management of accounts, the “dysfunctions” of the Academy and the “cooptation” system that governed. As a result, the institution’s management announced its collective resignation on February 13, 2020, after a month of turmoil.
With all these upheavals, what to expect for the César 2020? If in fact, the event which takes place on February 28, 2020 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris should not be upset by these agitations, the evening promises to be still tense after several weeks of friction and the appointments of Roman Polanski that divide French cinema. In its press release, the former management of the Academy explains that the members will meet in General Assembly after the ceremony to proceed to the election of a new management team. This crisis should therefore not have any direct consequences on the 2020 ceremony. But it is a safe bet that these events will be mentioned during the various speeches and sketches that will animate the evening of the Cesar 2020.
After the César 2020 nominations, positioning J’accuse by Roman Polanski as one of the favorite films with 12 quotes (including Best film and Best director), feminist associations have called for a vote against the director, and are calling for his boycott: ” 12 nominations to the Césars for Roman Polanski’s film J’accuse 12, as well as the number of women who accuse him of rape against paedocriminals Feminist associations and personalities will be there on February 28, 2020 at the César ceremony to call to say NO to the celebration of a rapist who silences the victims “, wrote ten associations in an open letter published in Le Parisien. For its part, we don’t know if the filmmaker will make the trip to Salle Pleyel on Friday, February 28. According to the producer of J’accuse, Alain Goldman, “He is not very fond of these kinds of demonstrations. A priori, yes. There is no reason why he should not come.” It will be necessary to wait the evening of the ceremony to know the decision of the controversial director.
The Caesar Academy revealed on Wednesday January 29, 2020 the list of films nominated for the 2020 ceremony. J’accuse de Roman Polanski is racing with 12 nominations, followed by Les Miserables and Belle Epoque (11 nominations), Portrait of the young girl on fire (10 nominations, including that of the Best actress for Adèle Haenel), Grâce à Dieu and Hors Norms, both named 8 times. Find the contenders for each category below.
Best film
Best achievement
- Nicolas Bedos, The Belle Epoque
- François Ozon, Thanks to God
- Roman Polanski, I accuse
- Ladj Ly, Les Misérables
- Céline Sciamma, Portrait of the girl on fire
- Arnaud Desplechin, Roubaix a light
Best Actress
- Anaïs Desmoutier, Alice and the Mayor
- Eva Green, Proxima
- Adèle Haenel, Portrait of the girl on fire
- Chiara Mastroianni, Room 212
- Noémie Merlant, Portrait of the girl on fire
- Doria Tillier, The Belle Epoque
- Karine Viard, Sweet Song
Best actor
- Daniel Auteuil, The Belle Epoque
- Damien Bonnard, Les Misérables
- Vincent Cassel, Hors Normes
- Jean Dujardin, I accuse
- Reda Kateb, Hors Norms
- Melvil Poupaud, Thanks be to God
- Roschdy Zem, Roubaix a light
Best Supporting Actress
- Fanny Ardant, The Belle Epoque
- Laure Calamy, Only the beasts
- Sara Forestier, Roubaix, a Light
- Hélène Vincent, Outside the norms
- Josiane Balasko, Thanks be to God
Best Supporting Actor
- Swann Arlaud, Thank God
- Grégory Gadebois, J’accuse
- Louis Garrel, J’accuse
- Benjamin Lavernhe, My Unknown
- Denis Menochet Thanks to God
Most promising Actress
- Luana Bajrami, Portrait of the girl on fire
- Céleste Brunnquell, Les Eblouis
- Lyna Khoudri, Papicha
- Nina Meurisse, Camille
- Mama Sané, Atlantic
Best Male Hope
- Anthony Bajon, In the name of the earth
- Benjamin Lesieur, Outside the norms
- Alexis Manenti, Les Misérables
- Liam Pierron, School Life
- Djebril Tsonga, Les Misérables
Best Original Screenplay
- The good times
- Thanks to God
- Out of norms
- Wretched
- Portrait of the girl on fire
Best fit
- Adults in the room
- I accuse
- I lost my body
- Roubaix a light
- Only the beasts
Best costumes
- Portrait of the girl on fire
- I accuse
- The good times
- Edmond
- Jane
Best decors
- The good times
- The song of the wolf
- Edmond
- I accuse
- Portrait of the girl on fire
Best Photography
- The good times
- I accuse
- Wretched
- Portrait of the girl on fire
- Roubaix a light
Best editing
- The good times
- Thanks to God
- Out of norms
- I accuse
- Wretched
Best sound
- The good times
- The song of the wolf
- I accuse
- Wretched
- Portrait of the girl on fire
Best Original Music
- Atlantic
- I accuse
- I lost my body
- Wretched
- Roubaix a light
Best first film
- Atlantique, by Mati Diop
- In the name of the earth, by Edouard Bergeon
- The Song of the Wolf, by Antony Baudry
- Les Misérables, by Ladj Ly
- Papicha, from Mounia Meddour
Best Animated Film
- The famous bear invasion in Sicily
- Kabul swallows
- I lost my body
Best Animated Short
- This wonderful cake
- I’m going out to buy cigarettes
- Make it soul
- The night of plastic bags
Best Foreign Film
- Pain and glory, by Pedro Almodovar
- Young Ahmed, by Jean Pierre and Luc Dardenne
- Joker, by Todd Phillips
- Lola vers la mer, by Laurent Micheli
- Once Upon a time in Hollywood, by Quentin Tarantino
- Parasite, by Nong Joon-Ho
- The traitor, by Marco Bellocchio
Best short film
- Beautiful loser
- Ahmed’s song
- Blue dog
- Nefta Football Club
- On time
Best documentary
- 68 My Father and the nails
- The Cordillera des Songes
- Lourdes
- M
- Wonder Boy Olivier Rousteing, born under X
Public Caesar
- What have we done to God again?
- We will end up together
- Out of Standards
- In the name of the earth
- Wretched
After the nominations, how does the voting proceed?
After the announcement of the nominations for the César 2020, 4,313 voters, members of the Academy, will have to vote for each category. Unlike the Oscars, all trades can vote in each of the categories. Voting will end on the day of the ceremony at 4 p.m. The ceremony will be presented by Florence Foresti and chaired by Sandrine Kiberlain. See you on February 28, 2020 for the list of winners at the 45th ceremony. Find out below the full list of César 2020 nominations.
In 2020, the César ceremony celebrates its 45th edition. It is the date of Friday February 28, 2020 which was chosen for the broadcast, on Canal + as tradition dictates, of the great evening of French cinema. Traditionally held two days before the Oscars, the Cesars will follow this year the American ceremony which has chosen to advance its broadcast in early February.
Film viewers who wish to follow the César ceremony can turn to the usual system of Canal + to watch the ceremony, in clear and live. The traditional broadcaster of the evening will shake up its antenna as usual to cover the event as it should. Note that the channel should also offer to view the ceremony in streaming on computer, smartphone or tablet, via MyCanal.
The Académie des César unveiled the official poster for the 45th César ceremony on January 24, 2020. We can see the actress Anna Karina, who died last December at the age of 79.
Florence Foresti puts on the costume of Master of Ceremonies of the Cesar 2020, after having shone in this role in 2016. She had already presented the Cesar in 2016. Last year, it was the actor and humorist Kad Merad who had played the role from Monsieur Loyal. During the César 2020 ceremony, Sandrine Kiberlain will officiate as president.
As every year, the César 2020 will take place at the Salle Pleyel, in Paris. This emblematic Parisian place has been hosting the ceremony since 2017, in place of the Châtelet theater, under construction.
Find the full TV Program.