On February 28, 2025, the 50th César Awards ceremony took place at the historic Olympia theater in Paris, celebrating the best of French cinema from the past year. The prestigious event was presided over by the iconic Catherine Deneuve and hosted by Jean-Pascal Zadi, featuring performances and appearances from some of the brightest stars in the industry.
A standout of the evening was the film Emilia Pérez directed by Jacques Audiard, which took home seven César awards, including the coveted Best Film and Best Director. "Emilia Pérez has made quite the impact, and we are thrilled to see it recognized so widely tonight," said Audiard after the show, expressing gratitude for the accolades.
Despite the sweep by Emilia Pérez, actresses from the film left empty-handed as Hafsia Herzi was named Best Actress for her performance in Borgo. Meanwhile, The Story of Souleymane, directed by Boris Lojkine, garnered four wins, including Best Revelatory Performance for Abou Sangaré, who plays the lead role of Souleymane, and Best Original Screenplay. The film has captured the hearts of viewers, drawing over 586,000 admissions since its theatrical release.
The competition was fierce this year, with The Count of Monte-Cristo and L’Amour Ouf receiving 14 and 13 nominations, respectively, but only walked away with two and one award respectively. Pierre Niney was nominated for Best Actor for his role in The Count of Monte-Cristo, but lost out to Karim Leklou, who received the accolade for his performance as Jim in The Roman of Jim.
Maïwène Barthelemy won the Best Female Revelation for Twenty Gods, and the film also captured the Best First Film award. Barthelemy shared her excitement, saying, "I didn't expect to be here tonight after just starting my career. This means the world to me!"
Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of Honorary Césars to renowned director Costa-Gavras and actress Julia Roberts, celebrating their remarkable contributions to cinema over the years. "It's moments like these, celebrating our work and each other, which remind me of why I love this industry," Roberts commented during her acceptance speech.
The full list of winners is as follows:
- Best Film: Emilia Pérez
- Best Actress: Hafsia Herzi (Borgo)
- Best Actor: Karim Leklou (The Roman of Jim)
- Best Director: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Supporting Actress: Nina Meurisse (The Story of Souleymane)
- Best Supporting Actor: Alain Chabat (L’Amour Ouf)
- Best Revelation Female: Maïwène Barthelemy (Twenty Gods)
- Best Revelation Male: Abou Sangaré (The Story of Souleymane)
- Best Original Screenplay: Boris Lojkine, Delphine Agut (The Story of Souleymane)
- Best Adaptation: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Documentary: The Farm of the Bertrands
- Best Film Animation: Flow, The Cat Who Lost Fear of Water
- Best Sound: Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Cyril Holtz, Niels Barletta (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Editing: Xavier Sirven (The Story of Souleymane)
- Best Cinematography: Paul Guilhaume (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Visual Effects: Cédric Fayolle (Emilia Pérez)
- Best Costume Design: Thierry Delettre (The Count of Monte-Cristo)
- Best Set Design: Stéphane Taillasson (The Count of Monte-Cristo)
- Best Short Documentary: The Southern Fiancées
- Best Short Fiction: The Man Who Would Not Be Silent
- Best Animated Short: Beurk!
The ceremony was not just a display of talent; it was also marked by emotional speeches and heartfelt tributes, inspiring everyone attending. The event celebrated not merely what was accomplished last year but also set the stage for the future stars of French cinema.
Reflecting on the evening, many participants shared their aspirations going forward, with several already expressing desire to collaborate again. The 2025 Cesars will undoubtedly be remembered as both a celebration and as motivation for what’s next in the vibrant world of French film.