Marion Cotillard exudes glamour in a printed gown as she joins Laetitia Casta at French cinema rising stars event

The awards season is well underway, with film stars turning stunning looks on the red carpet.

And Marion Cotillard looked effortlessly chic as she arrived for a special event celebrating rising talent in French cinema, hosted by the Cesar Awards.

The Oscar winner, 44, wore a black and white pattern bardot dress which featured a sheer panel revealing her decolletage.

She kept her curled black locks pinned back from her face to exhibit her natural beauty.

No stranger to the spotlight, Marion floated across the red carpet in a pair of black heels as she was joined by a roster of talented actresses and models.

Among them was Laetitia Casta, renowned for her work as the 1990s GUESS? Girl, who wore a white buttoned corset and trousers ensemble.

The 41-year-old French actress and model, who styled her ombre locks in loose curls for the event, kept her jewellery minimal to accentuate her plunging neckline.

Marion and Laetitia shared a few laughs as they posed for photos, before actresses Shirine Boutella and Lyna Koudri, and film director Mounia Meddour arrived for the photocall.

The event, known as the Revelations, is to recognise the breakthrough performance of a young actress working in the film industry

It is part of the Cesar Awards - the French equivalent of an Oscar - which hosts its main awards ceremony in February. 

Marion has twice been nominated for the award, for Taxi in 1999 and Pretty Things in 2002. 

Marion had a tough end to 2019 after her friend, and French new wave icon, Anna Karina died last month aged 79. 

At 21, Marion worked with Karina in a dark tale of prostitution in Chloé, directed by Karina's fourth husband Dennis Berry.

Karina, who epitomized 60s chic, starred in seven films made by her first husband Jean-Luc Godard, including 'Pierrot Le Fou' and Bande à Part.

She hitchhiked to Paris from her native Denmark to try to become an actress where she went on to win Best Actress in the Berlin film festival for 'A Woman is a Woman' in 1961.  

She died in a Paris hospital of the effects of throat cancer,  her agent Laurent Balandras announced on December 15.

'Today, French cinema has been orphaned. It has lost one of its legends,' Culture Minister Franck Riester tweeted.  

Marion shared a touching message on Instagram: 'Anna I love you. I was so lucky to be bathed at a young age by your love, your joy, your kindness, and your kindness. I wish you a wonderful journey.'