Posted: Fri., Feb. 27, 2009, 5:25pm PT

'Seraphine' tops Cesar Awards

'Christmas Tale,' 'Class' also nab honors

By Elsa Keslassy

Director Martin Provost and actress Yolande Moreau with their prizes during the Cesar Film Awards.

"Seraphine," a modestly budgeted biopic of Gallic painter Seraphine de Senlis, took top honors Friday at France's 34th Cesar Awards, with seven nods including film, original screenplay and actress for Yolande Moreau.

Moreau previously won two Cesars for "When the Sea Rises," which she starred in and co-directed with Gilles Porte in 2004.

"I would like to thank Seraphine, who disappeared during the 1930s Depression but apparently is getting her luck back from this crisis," said thesp-turned-helmer Martin Provost.

Another strong contender in the film category was "Public Enemy Number One," the biopic about French bank robber Jacques Mesrine, which had garnered a record 10 noms. The pic ended up with three Cesars, including director for Jean-Francois Richet and actor for Vincent Cassel.

BAFTA foreign-film winner "I've Loved You So Long" garnered nods for first film for helmer Philippe Claudel and supporting actress Elsa Zylberstein.

Jean-Paul Roussillon won supporting actor laurels for his turn as a family patriarch in Arnaud Desplechin's "A Christmas Tale."

Known for playing rebellious tough guys, Cassel was previously nommed for Cesars for Jacques Audiard's "Read My Lips" and Mathieu Kassovitz's "Hate."

Palme d'Or winner and Oscar foreign-language film nominee "The Class" nabbed adapted screenplay.

Thesp Sean Penn was in attendance to present the best pic nod and rep "Into the Wild" in the foreign-film category, but the pic lost to Israeli animated doc "Waltz With Bashir."

Famed French producer Claude Berri, who died in January, was honored during the ceremony, drawing a standing ovation.

Dustin Hoffman accepted the lifetime achievement award from "Last Chance Harvey" castmate Emma Thompson.

"One day, as I was in therapy and I said, ‘Jesus, the only time I ever felt centered in my life is when I'm playing someone else,' " said Hoffman, in tears. "There is a corpse inside of us all, and that corpse represents the person we're not; and acting allows me to know that person better."

Cesars awards went to:

FILM
"Seraphine," Martin Provost

ACTRESS
Yolande Moreau, "Seraphine"

ACTOR
Vincent Cassel, "Public Enemy Number One"

DIRECTOR
Jean-Francois Richet, "Public Enemy Number One"

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Martin Provost, "Seraphine"

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Laurent Cantet, Francois Begaudeau, Robin Campillo, "The Class"

FIRST FILM
"I've Loved You So Long," Philippe Claudel

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Elsa Zilberstein, " I've Loved You So Long"

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jean-Paul Roussillon, "A Christmas Tale"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE, ACTRESS
Deborah Francois, "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE, ACTOR
Marc-Andre Grondin, "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"

ORIGINAL SCORE
Michael Galasso, "Seraphine"

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Laurent Brunet, "Seraphine"

COSTUME DESIGN
Madeline Fontaine, "Seraphine"

EDITING
Sophie Reine, "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"

FOREIGN FILM
Ari Folman, "Waltz With Bashir"

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"The Beaches of Agnes," Agnes Varda