Resnais tuner tops Cesar nominations
For once, commercial successes get their due
The nominations were announced in Paris on Wednesday and this year reflect not only the diversity of Gallic pics, but also a growing willingness among the Academie des Arts Techniques du Cinema voters to support pics that have had commercial rather than purely critical success.
The nominations for the Cesar nods, which will be awarded in Paris on Feb. 28, clearly came as a relief for Cesar founder Georges Cravanne and Academie president Daniel Toscan du Plantier. Toscan du Plantier admitted that the awards have been criticized in the past for their apparent refusal to reward pics that have had decent box office takings.
The majority of this year's noms, however, have all grossed well and Toscan du Plantier said several distribs are now prepping relaunch campaigns based on the nominations and eventual winners. Best pic nominees range from the megabuck Luc Besson sci-fier "The Fifth Element" to Robert Guediguian's Marseille-based love story "Marius et Jeannette" and Manuel Poirier's "Western." The fifth contender for the top Cesar prize is Philippe de Broca's costume swashbuckler "Le Bossu."
The director nominations provided few surprises, with the possible exception of Alain Corneau for cop thriller "Le Cousin," which has disappointed at the box office. Having won a Lumiere de Paris (the Gallic Golden Globe equivalent) for his helming of "The Fifth Element," Besson is now in contention for a Cesar in the same category. He'll face tough competition from Resnais, Guediguian and Poirier.
The male acting nominations tip their hats to Alain Chabat as a man-turned-dog in comedy "Didier," which has just been picked up for remake in the U.S.; Patrick Timsit's police informer in "Le Cousin"; and Daniel Auteuil as an adoptive father-turned-hunchback in "Le Bossu." Those three will be challenged, in what looks like a tough call, by Andre Dussollier for his work in "On Connait la Chanson" and Charles Berling for "Nettoyage a Sec."
Among the female thesps, contenders for best actress bring together Miou-Miou, who won a Lumiere for "Nettoyage a Sec," Ariane Ascardie as Jeannette in "Marius et Jeannette," Sabine Azema for "On Connait la Chanson," Marie Gillain for "Le Bossu" and Sandrine Kiberlain for "Le Septieme Ciel." Two years ago Kiberlain took the best young actress Cesar for "En Avoir Ou Pas."
English-lingo pics dominate the foreign film category. Another Lumiere winner, "Brassed Off" from helmer Mark Herman, faces competition from Woody Allen's musical "Everyone Says I Love You," box office smash "The Full Monty," Anthony Minghella's Oscar winner "The English Patient" and Takeshi Kitano's "Hana-Bi."
This year's Cesars will be presided over by Juliette Binoche, who was last on the Cesar stage to collect her best actress prize for "Three Colors: Blue" in 1994. The 1998 ceremony will also see Clint Eastwood, Michael Douglas and Jean-Luc Godard receive honorary Cesars, following in the footsteps of such notables as Orson Welles, Gene Kelly and Steven Spielberg.
Other main Cesar noms:
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jean-Pierre Bacri, "On Connait la Chanson"; Jean-Pierre Darroussin, "Marius et Jeannette"; Gerard Jugnot, "Marthe"; Vincent Perez, "Le Bossu"; Lambert Wilson, "On Connait la Chanson"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Agnes Jaoui, "On Connait la Chanson"; Pascale Roberts, "Marius et Jeannette"; Mathilde Seigner, "Nettoyage a Sec"; Marie Trintignant, "Le Cousin"; Karin Viard, "Les Randonneurs"
FIRST FILM
"L'Autre Cote de la Mer," Dominique Cabrera; "Les Demons de Jesus," Bernie Bonvoisin; "Didier," Alain Chabat; "Ma Vie en Rose," Alain Ber-liner; "La Vie de Jesus," Bruno Dumont.
