“Three Hearts,” “Timbuktu,” “La Famille Belier” vie for French Lumiere Awards

PanARMENIAN.Net - Benoit Jacquot’s “Three Hearts”, Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu” and Eric Lartigau’s “La Famille Belier” are part of the eclectic mix of movies set to compete at the Lumiere awards, the French equivalent to the Golden Globes, Variety said.

A love triangle drama, “Three Hearts,” which opened in Venice, stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Chiara Mastroianni as two sisters who fall in love with the same man. Pic marks Jacquot’s follow-up to “Farewell, My Queen.” His next movie, “Diary of a Chambermaid,” is expected to open in Berlin.

A politically engaged and aesthetically pleasing movie, “Timbuktu” chronicles the lives of several Malians facing Jihadist occupation in their region. Mauritania’s first foreign-language Oscar candidate, “Timbuktu” has been shortlisted. Sissako was also nominated in the director category.

Set in the French provinces, “La Famille Belier,” the only truly popular movie competing for best film, is a dramedy centering on a teenager brought up with deaf parents and a younger brother who discovers a singing talent. Pic has also snatched up a best newcomer nom for Louane Emera (former “The Voice” contestant) and best script nom for Stanislas Carre de Malberg and Victoria Bedos.

Bertrand Bonello’s “Saint-Laurent” is vying for best film, director, actor (Gaspard Ulliel), script (Thomas Bidegain and Bonello). The film was France’s foreign-language Oscar candidate.

Other films that earned nominations in multiple categories include Celine Sciamma’s Directors’ Fortnight opening-film”Girlhood,” with noms for film, director and newcomer (Karidja Touré); Lucas Belvaux’s “Pas son genre,” with noms for film, director and actress (Emilie Dequenne); and Thomas Cailley’s big winner at Directors’ Fortnight “Love at First Fight,” with noms for first film, actress (Adele Haenel) and male newcomer (Kevin Azaïs).

Thesps who earned double nominations: Haenel (“Love at First Fight,” “‘In the Name of My Daughter”), Guillaume Canet (“La Prochaine fois je viserai le coeur,” “In the Name of My Daughter”), Charlotte Gainsbourg (“Samba,” “Three Hearts”), Karin Viard (“La Famille Bélier,” “Lulu, femme nue”) and Ana Girardot (“Le Beau Monde,” “La Prochaine fois je viserai le cœur”).

“La French,” Cedric Jimenez’s ambitious thriller starring Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche, scored one nomination for best script (Audrey Diwan, Jimenez).

Awards will be voted on by foreign correspondents based in Paris. The ceremony will take place Feb. 2 in Paris.