“November”, “Simone”, “La Nuit du 12”… Which films will be nominated for the César 2023?

The Académie des César must publish the list of those who will compete at the 48th ceremony on February 24 on Wednesday morning.

The race for the César 2023 will be launched on Wednesday with the nominations for the most prestigious prizes in French cinema, which remains haunted by questions of sexual violence and its post-Covid depression.

The Académie des César must publish the list of those who will compete at the 48th ceremony on February 24 on Wednesday morning. Who to succeed Lost Illusions, the big winner of last year with seven trophies, including that of the best film? The games seem very open, at the end of a once again painful year for the 7th tricolor Art. Even if some have pulled out of the game.

Dominik Moll and Alice Diop in the running

This is the case of the director Cédric Klapisch, who attracted the favors of the critics and the public with In Body (1.3 million admissions), the story of a classical dancer (played by Marion Barbeau of the Paris Opera) who rebuilds after an injury. As well as Louis Garrel, who was almost unanimous with The Innocenta delightful detective comedy which he shares with Noémie Merlant.

Another very noticed director this year: Dominik Moll and his Night of 12, presented at Cannes. The author of Harry, a friend who wishes you well (César for best director in 2001) could return to the front of the stage with this investigation into a feminicide which says as much about crime as about machismo in the police.

The members of the Academy will probably not forget either a filmmaker with a very demanding work: Alice Diop and her Saint Omerwith Kayije Kagame and Guslagie Malanda, acclaimed by international critics and which represents France in the race for the Oscars.

Towards a prebiscite by Elsa Zylberstein?

On the interpreter side, will the profession acclaim as much as the public Elsa Zylberstein and her metamorphosis into Simone Veil in the biopic simone? Virginie Efira, multi-nominated in recent years, is a serious competitor with her performances in “The children of others” and See Paris againone of the films on the attacks of November 2015 released this year – which she shared with Benoît Magimel, crowned last year.

In a less psychological genre, the performers of November by Cédric Jimenez, Jean Dujardin, Sandrine Kiberlain or Anaïs Demoustier, also have their chances, as does Roschdy Zem (Mine and Other people’s children).

The part looks much more delicate on the other hand for The Almond Trees, by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi. The release of the film was accompanied by revelations about the indictments for rape of its main actor, and companion of the director, Sofiane Bennacer.

Sanitary cord

The Academy, which has been seeking for several years to put an end to the accusations of self-segregation and complacency in relation to the perpetrators of sexual violence, will it take the risk of naming the film and its director, who admits having been aware of these accusations during filming?

In theory, nothing prevents Sofiane Bennacer, any more than Gérard Depardieu or Ary Abittan, also indicted for rapes which they contest, from being named, although he has been excluded from the indicative list of “hopes “.

In this improbable hypothesis, the Academy has already announced a cordon sanitaire: no person implicated “by justice for acts of violence” will be “highlighted” during the ceremony. And no speaking will be allowed, even if the person ultimately receives a Caesar.

Hearings still disastrous

On the glitter side, the evening, which must absolutely go up the slope after still disastrous audiences last year (1.3 million viewers), will be chaired by Tahar Rahim, whose career now oscillates between Hollywood and France.

The presentation will be collegial with nine masters and mistresses of ceremonies on the stage of the Olympia from Emmanuelle Devos to Eye Haïdara, via Alex Lutz and Ahmed Sylla.