France’s Cesars reveals Revelations line-up of rising stars

No comments

SAINT OMER - Still 1

Source: Wild Bunch

Saint Omer

France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques, which runs the prestigious César awards, has unveiled its annual Revelations shortlist of local rising stars. They will vie for five coveted spots in each of the most promising actor and actress categories that will make the official nominees selection ahead of the 48th annual Cesars ceremony in Paris on February 24.

Among this year’s breakout stars are Saint Omer actresses Guslagie Malanda and Kayije Kagame, Cannes’ title Forever Young stars Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Clara Bretheau and Sofiane Bennacer, Paul Kircher from Christophe Honoré’s Winter Boy and Bastien Bouillon from Dominik Moll’s The Night Of The 12^th.

Scroll down for the full list

Happening Venice winner Audrey Diwan will direct a short film starring the nominees that will premiere on January 16. On the same night, a Revelations dinner will celebrate the nominees and pair them with industry mentors.

The Revelations committee is comprised of 18 casting directors active in French film production and is then validated by the board of the Academy. For the sixth year running, Chanel is the official partner of the awards.

As it unveils the new faces of its film world, France’s prestigious film academy is also hoping to show a new look after undergoing a series of shake-ups and le scandale in recent months. After accusations of a lack of transparency, parity, diversity and an extra ‘j’accuse’ directed at Roman Polanski when the director-non-grata earned a series of nominations for the 2020 awards that saw women’s rights activists storm the ceremony and director Celine Sciamma and Adele Haenel leave the room.

An industry-wide outrage led to the resignation of long-time Cesar academy president Alain Terzian along with the rest of the academy’s board of governors.

The French academy has since been working hard to revamp its image and hired industry veteran Gregory Caulier to take over as general delegate earlier this year. Appointed in 2020, former head of Arte France, president of the CNC and managing director of the Cannes Film Festival Véronique Cayla remains president and prolific filmmaker Eric Toledano, best known for The Intouchables, is vice president of the organisation.

The Academy will also bestow its annual industry-focused prizes, the Daniel Toscan du Plantier award for producer of the year and a ‘Cesar & Techniques; trophy and innovation award for visual effects or post-production work.

The 2023 César Awards will be held in Paris on February 24, 2023. The first round of voting opens on January 2 and closes on January 24 with the nomination expected to be announced on January 25.