‘Emilia Pérez’ Wins Best Film at France’s César Awards
Jacques Audiard’s Oscar contender Emilia Pérez was the big winner at the 50th César Awards, France’s equivalent of the Oscars, taking best film and best director among multiple honors.
Audiard won best director and best adapted screenplay for Emilia Pérez, and the film also took honors for best sound, best cinematography, best visual effects and best original music.
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But Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón, who walked the red carpet at the Paris gala, returning to the spotlight for the first time since the eruption of the controversy surrounding her offensive resurfaced tweets, lost out in the best actress race to Hafsia Herzi, who won for her role as a female prison guard in Stéphane Demoustier’s drama Borgo.
Gascón, who is Spanish, skipped Spain’s national film awards, the Goyas, earlier this month following the backlash over her past social media posts. Netflix removed the actress, the first openly trans performer to be nominated for the best actress Oscar, from Emilia Pérez’s Oscar campaign in the U.S. amid the public fallout over the posts. Gascón, however, is expected to attend the Oscars on Sunday.
Iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve, acting as the president for the 50th anniversary ceremony, opened the Césars on a political note.
“I declare the 50th César Awards ceremony open, and I dedicate it to Ukraine,” said Deneuve, wearing a prominent Ukrainian flag pin.
Abou Sangaré was the first winner of the night, winning best male revelation for his breakout role in Souleymane’s Story as an African immigrant trying to survive in the mean streets of Paris. Sangare won the best actor honor at last year’s European Film Awards for the same role. The film also won best original screenplay for co-writers Boris Lojkine and Delphine Agut, co-star Nina Meurisse took the prize for best supporting actress and Xavier Sirven won best editing.
Ma?wène Barthèlemy won best female revelation for her starring role in Louise Courvoisier’s coming-of-age drama Holy Cow, which also scooped the best debut feature honor for Courvoisier.
Karim Leklou won best actor for Jim’s Story, a psychological drama about a rural couple whose quiet, sorted life is disrupted by the return of their son’s biological father.
Jonathan Glazer’s 2024 Oscar winner The Zone of Interest won the César for best foreign film. Latvian animated film Flow took the prize for best animated feature. Julia Roberts received an honorary César from the French academy for lifetime achievement. Clive Owen, who starred with Roberts in Closer (2004) and Duplicity (2009) presented her with the award, calling Roberts “one of the most gifted, extraordinary actresses of our generation.”
Accepting her honor, Roberts thanked Catherine Deneuve “for being born and for making cinema a better world” before thanking her family.
A complete list of the 2025 César Award winners follows.
Best Film
The Count of Monte Cristo
Producers: Dimitri Rassam, Jér?me Seydoux, Directors: Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière
Emilia Pérez
Producers: Pascal Caucheteux, Jacques Audiard, Valérie Schermann, Director: Jacques Audiard (WINNER)
The Marching Band
Producers: Marc Bordure, Robert Guédiguian, Director: Emmanuel Courcol
Souleymane’s Story
Producers: Bruno Nahon, Director: Boris Lojkine
Miséricorde
Producers: Charles Gillibert, Director: Alain Guiraudie
Best Director
Gilles Lellouche for Beating Hearts
Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière for The Count of Monte Cristo
Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez (WINNER)
Boris Lojkine for Souleymane’s Story
Alain Guiraudie for Miséricorde
Best Actress
Adèle Exarchopoulos for Beating Hearts
Karla Sofía Gascón for Emilia Pérez
Hafsia Herzi for Borgo (WINNER)
Zoe Salda?a for Emilia Pérez
Hélène Vincent for When Fall is Coming
Best Actor
Fran?ois Civil for Beating Hearts
Benjamin Lavernhe for The Marching Band
Karim Leklou for Jim’s Story (WINNER)
Pierre Niney for The Count of Monte Cristo
Tahar Rahim for Monsieur Aznavour
Best Supporting Actress
élodie Bouchez for Beating Hearts
Ana?s Demoustier for The Count of Monte Cristo
Catherine Frot for Miséricorde
Nina Meurisse for Souleymane’s Story (WINNER)
Sarah Suco for The Marching Band
Best Supporting Actor
David Ayala for Miséricorde
Bastien Bouillon for The Count of Monte Cristo
Alain Chabat for Beating Hearts (WINNER)
Jacques Develay for Miséricorde
Laurent Lafitte for The Count of Monte Cristo
Best Female Revelation
Ma?wène Barthèlemy for Holy Cow (WINNER)
Malou Khebizi for Wild Diamond
Megan Northam for Rabia
Mallory Wanecque for Beating Hearts
Souheila Yacoub for Planet B
Best Male Revelation
Abou Sangaré for Souleymane’s Story (WINNER)
Adam Bessa for Ghost Trail
Malik Frikah for Beating Hearts
Félix Kysyl for Miséricorde
Pierre Lottin for The Marching Band
Best Original Screenplay
Stéphane Demoustier for Borgo
Emmanuel Courcol, Irène Muscari for The Marching Band
Boris Lojkine, Delphine Agut for Souleymane’s Story (WINNER)
Alain Guiraudie for Miséricorde
Louise Courvoisier, Théo Abadie for Holy Cow
Best Adapted Screenplay
Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière for The Count of Monte Cristo
Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez (WINNER)
Michel Hazanavicius, Jean-Claude Grumberg for The Most Precious of Cargoes
Best Original Music
Jon Brion for Beating Hearts
Jér?me Rebotier for The Count of Monte Cristo
Clément Ducol, Camille for Emilia Pérez (WINNER)
Alexandre Desplat for The Most Precious of Cargoes
Linda Courvoisier, Charlie Courvoisier for Holy Cow
Best Sound
Cédric Deloche, Gwennolé Le Borgne, Jon Goc, Marc Doisne for Beating Hearts
David Rit, Gwennolé Le Borgne, Olivier Touche, Laure-Anne Darras, Marion Papinot, Marc Doisne, Samuel Delorme for The Count of Monte Cristo
Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Cyril Holtz, Niels Barletta for Emilia Pérez (WINNER)
Pascal Armant, Sandy Notarianni, Niels Barletta for The Marching Band
Marc-Olivier Brullé, Pierre Bariaud, Charlotte Butrak, Samuel A?choun for Souleymane’s Story
Best Cinematography
Laurent Tangy for Beating Hearts
Nicolas Bolduc for The Count of Monte Cristo
Paul Guillaume for Emilia Pérez (WINNER)
Tristan Galand for Souleymane’s Story
Claire Mathon for Miséricorde
Best Editing
Simon Jacquet for Beating Hearts
Célia Lafitedupont for The Count of Monte Cristo
Juliette Welfling for Emilia Pérez
Guerric Catala for The Marching Band
Xavier Sirven for Souleymane’s Story (WINNER)
Best Costume Design
Isabelle Pannetier for Beating Hearts
Thierry Delettre for The Count of Monte Cristo (WINNER)
Virginie Montel for Emilia Pérez
Isabelle Mathieu for Monsieur Aznavour
Ana?s Romand for Sarah Bernhardt, la divine
Best Set Design
Jean-Philippe Moreaux for Beating Hearts
Stéphane Taillasson for The Count of Monte Cristo (WINNER)
Emmanuelle Duplay for Emilia Pérez
Stéphane Rozenbaum for Monsieur Aznavour
Olivier Radot for Sarah Bernhardt, la divine
Best Visual Effects
Cédric Fayolle, Hugues Namur, émilien Lazaron for The Beast
Olivier Cauwet for The Count of Monte Cristo
Cédric Fayolle for Emilia Pérez (WINNER)
Stéphane Dittoo for Monsieur Aznavour
Best Animated Film
Flow – Director: Gints Zilbalodis, French Co-Producer: Ron Dyens (WINNER)
The Most Precious of Cargoes – Director: Michel Hazanavicius, Producers: Patrick Sobelman, Florence Gastaud, Michel Hazanavicius
Savages – Director: Claude Barras, French Co-Producers: France Laurence Petit, Barbara Letellier, Carole Scotta
Best Documentary
The Belle from Gaza – Director: Yolande Zauberman, Producers: Bruno Nahon, Yolande Zauberman
Bye Bye Tiberias – Director: Lina Soualem, Producer: Jean-Marie Nizan
Dahomey – Director: Mati Diop, Producers: Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found – Director: Raoul Peck, Producer: Raoul Peck
La Ferme des Bertrand – Director: Gilles Perret, Producers: Denis Carot, Ulysse Payet (WINNER)
Madame Hofmann – Director: Sébastien Lifshitz, Producer: Muriel Meynard
Best Debut Film
Wild Diamond – Director: Agathe Riedinger, Producers: Priscilla Bertin, Judith Nora
Ghost Trail – Director: Jonathan Millet, Producer: Pauline Seigland
The Kingdom – Director: Julien Colonna, Producers: Hugo Sélignac, Antoine Lafon
A Little Something Extra – Director: Artus, Producers: Pierre Forette, Thierry Wong
Holy Cow – Director: Louise Courvoisier, Producer: Muriel Meynard (WINNER)
Best Foreign Film
Anora – Director: Sean Baker
The Seed of the Sacred Fig – Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
The Apprentice – Director: Ali Abbasi
The Substance – Director: Coralie Fargeat
The Zone of Interest – Director: Jonathan Glazer (WINNER)
Best Short Fiction Film
Noise – Director: Salomé Da Souza, Producers: Jean-Etienne Brat, Lou Chicoteau
What Belongs to Caesar – Director: Violette Gitton, Producers: Jules Reinartz
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent – Director: Neboj?a Slijep?evi?, Producers: No?lle Levenez (WINNER) Queen Size – Director: Avril Besson, Producers: Bastien Daret, Arthur Goisset, Robin Robles, Christophe Audeguis
Best Animated Short
Yuck! – Director: Lo?c Espuche, Producers: Juliette Marquet, Manon Messiant (WINNER)
Gigi – Director: Cynthia Calvi, Producer: Luc Camilli
Butterfly – Director: Florence Miailhe, Producers: Ron Dyens, Luc Camilli
Best Documentary Short
Les Fiancées du Sud – Director: Elena López Riera, Producers: Sylvie Pialat, Alejandro Arenas Azorín (WINNER)
Petit Spartacus – Director: Sara Ganem, Producer: Anne Luthaud
Un c?ur perdu et autres rêves de Beyrouth – Director: Maya Abdul-Malak, Producer: Anne-Catherine Witt
Honorary César
Julia Roberts
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