Regis Wargnier’s “Indochine” walked away with the most nominations for this year’s Cesar Awards, the French equivalent of the Oscars.
Nominations were announced yesterday; presentation ceremony takes place March 8.
Wargnier’s pic has 11 nominations, including French film, director and actress (Catherine Deneuve).
Claude Sautet’s “Un Coeur en Hiver” received nine nominations. Cyril Collard’s debut offering “Les Nuits Fauves” is up for best first film, as well as competing in the French film and director categories — the first time this has happened.
This year’s Cesars have been rocked by a dispute over what pix qualified for the best French film. A decision by the Academie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema to put a French-lingo qualification on the French film category ruled out such box office hits as “L’Amant” (The Lover), “Lune de Fiel” (Bitter Moon), “Fatale” (Damage) and “1492 Christophe Colomb” (1492: Conquest of Paradise).
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Following a barrage of protest, the academy compromised and allowed “French” pix that were not shot in French to compete in all other categories, including foreign-language film.
Ironically, neither the Gerard Depardieu starrer “1492 Christophe Colomb” nor Polanski’s “Lune de Fiel” got a nomination. Louis Malle’s “Fatale” is in the running for best actress (Juliette Binoche).
Nominees in major categories are:
FRENCH FILM
“La Crise,” directed by Coline Serreau
“Indochine,” Regis Wargnier
“L627,” Bertrand Tavernier
“Les Nuits Fauves,” Cyril Collard
“Le Petit Prince a Dit,” Christine Pascal
“Un Coeur en Hiver,” Claude Sautet
ACTOR
Daniel Auteuil, “Un Coeur en Hiver”
Richard Berry, “Le Petit Prince a Dit”
Claude Brasseur, “Le Souper”
Vincent Lindon, “La Crise” Hiver”
Richard Berry, “Le Petit Prince a Dit”
Claude Brasseur, “Le Souper”
Vincent Lindon, “La Crise”
