A Prophet Honoured at Césars

Text: Cineuropa

On Saturday night, Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet surpassed the triumph of his film The Beat That My Heart Skipped at the Césars 2024 by winning not eight but nine trophies, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, as well as three Césars in the acting categories (two for Tahar Rahim, one for Niels Arestrup).

The other favourites had to make do with lesser prizes: Xavier Giannoli’s In the Beginning (11 nominations) picked up Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Emmanuelle Devos) and Radu Mihaileanu’s The Concert (six nominations) was honoured in the Best Original Score and Best Sound categories.

In the few categories not topped by Audiard’s film, actress Isabelle Adjani nabbed the Best Actress statuette for Skirt Day, and Riad Sattouf received the Best Debut Film Cesar for The French Kissers. Meanwhile, Coco Before Chanel picked up just one award (Best Costume Design).

Finally, an Honorary Cesar was awarded to US actor Harrison Ford and homage was paid to Eric Rohmer.

Full list of prize-winners:

Best Film
A Prophet - Jacques Audiard

Best Actor
Tahar Rahim - A Prophet

Best Actress
Isabelle Adjani - Skirt Day

Best Director
Jacques Audiard - A Prophet

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Niels Arestrup - A Prophet

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Emmanuelle Devos - In the Beginning

Best Debut Film
The French Kissers - Riad Sattouf

Best Male Newcomer
Tahar Rahim - A Prophet

Best Female Newcomer
Mélanie Thierry - One for the Road

Best Original Screenplay
Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Abdel Raouf Dafri, Nicolas Peufaillit - A Prophet

Best Adapted Screenplay
Stéphane Brizé, Florence Vignon - Mademoiselle Chambon

Best Cinematography
Stéphane Fontaine - A Prophet

Best Production Design
Michel Barthélemy - A Prophet

Best Costume Design
Catherine Leterrier - Coco Before Chanel

Best Editing
Juliette Welfing - A Prophet

Best Sound
Pierre Excoffier, Bruno Tarrière, Selim Azzazi - The Concert

Best Original Score
Armand Amar - The Concert

Best Documentary Film
Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno Serge Bromberg, Ruxandra Medrea

Best Foreign Film
Gran Torino - Clint Eastwood

Best Short Film
It’s Free for Girls - Claire Burger, Marie Amachoukeli