“Me, Myself and Mum” box-office hit wins big at France's Cesar Awards

PanARMENIAN.Net - The 39th annual Cesar Awards, France's big film prizes handed out by the Academy of Cinema Technical Arts and Sciences, began Friday Feb 28 evening at 9 p.m. at the historic Chatelet Theatre, The Hollywood Reporter said.

Guillaume Gallienne's box-office hit Me, Myself and Mum was the big winner of the evening, taking home five of the 10 prizes it was nominated for. The comedy -- adapted from his stage show -- won in the best film, best adapted screenplay, best editing and best first film, and Gallienne took the best actor prize for his performance in multiple roles.

Gallienne missed out on the best director award, which went to Roman Polanski for his Cannes entry Venus in Fur. Polanski gave a brief speech thanking his producers and those involved with the film.

Best foreign film went to Belgian Felix Van Groeningen's Broken Circle Breakdown, which is also in the running for a best foreign-film Oscar on Sunday. Van Groeningen wasn't on hand to accept as he is already in Los Angeles to celebrate his nomination, so the award was accepted by lead actor Johan Heldenbergh. He is heading to L.A. on a 6 a.m. flight, and promised to pack the statue in his suitcase for Van Groeningen.

Quentin Tarantino was nominated in the best foreign film category for Django Unchained. He left empty-handed, but received praise and thanks from honorary Cesar recipient Scarlett Johansson when he presented her with her statue. "Thank you, Quentin, for taking time out from saving us from mediocrity," she said. "Thank you for making us all take a look at ourselves to make us be better. I am deeply in your debt."

The new Parisian, who offended her new neighbors by calling them "rude" during a recent appearance on Late Night With David Letterman, thanked the country and city for the honor.

Cannes' big winner Blue Is the Warmest Color was nominated in eight categories but took home only one prize, that for most promising actress for Adele Exarchopoulos. Her co-star Lea Seydoux was passed over for the best actress prize in favor of Sandrine Kiberlain in the pregnancy comedy 9 Month Stretch. It was a formidable category, with Catherine Deneuve, Berenice Bejo and Fanny Ardant also nominated.

Director Abdellatif Kechiche was a no-show, though Exarchopoulos said she had hoped he would be there and looked for him when she arrived. After taking the top prize at Cannes, the cast and director entered into a months-long public fight that tarnished their historic collective Palme d'Or -- an ugly controversy that may have colored voters' feelings toward the film.

Best supporting actress nominee Julie Gayet did show up, however, marking her first public appearance since being outed as the mistress of French President Francois Hollande and causing the split of the French first couple. Adele Haenel received the award for the coming-of-age tale Suzanne.