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Alban Ivanov and Sabrina Ouazani lead the cast of the filmmaker’s latest opus, an Escazal Films production set to be sold worldwide by TF1 Studio. The French department of Cantal has seen the first clapperboard slammed on Jean-Pierre Améris’ 13th fiction feature film: Les folies fermières. Starring in the cast are Alban Ivanov, Sabrina Ouazani, Michèle Bernier (of the series The Intern), Guy Marchand (recently seen in season 3 of Call My Agent!) and Bérangère Krief. Written by Jean-Pierre Améris, Marion Michau and Jean-Luc Gaget (the winner of 2017’s Best Original Screenplay César for The Together Project who was also...

France’s highest film awards were handed out at the 42nd annual ceremony in Paris on Friday [24].

Isabelle Huppert clinched best actress for her performance in Paul Verhoeven’s Elle at France’s annual César awards at Salle Pleyel in Paris on Friday evening (24), in a 42nd edition marked by strong female stories, newcomers and outsiders.

Scroll Down For Full List Of Winners

Verhoeven’s tale of a tough female company boss who plays a cat-and-mouse psychological game with a rapist also won best film with Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar presenting the award to the Dutch director and the film’s producers Saïd Ben Saïd and Michel Merkt.

The director noted Huppert had taken the film to a higher level.

“You added something that I didn’t have in mind when I started the project, it came through the collaboration you. Thank you, Isabelle, I adore you.”

Huppert was also on hand to accept her award ahead of...

Before Hollywood takes the spotlight this weekend, the film world turns its eyes to France for the annual Cesar Awards. Presented by the French Academy, this year’s nominees represent a distinct blend of international favorites, festival standouts and homegrown hits.

Paul Verhoeven’s “Elle” led this year’s nominees, scoring 11 nominations for Verhoeven as Best Director, lead actress Isabelle Huppert, Best Adapted Screenplay and a trio of other acting awards.

Read More: ‘Elle,’ Isabelle Huppert, Xavier Dolan Nominated in France’s Cesar Awards

The evening’s winners at Paris’ Salle Pleyel featured a variety of upsets and sure things. Huppert, going into a busy weekend in the States, won her category. In a pair of surprises, Xavier Dolan and Gaspard Ulliel both won their respective categories for Dolan’s “It’s Only the End of the World.” Houda Benyamina’s debut feature “Divines” also won big, taking home prizes for Best First Film,...

France’s film community congratulated Isabelle Huppert on her Oscar nomination, adding yet another to her growing list of accolades for her performance in “Elle.” The French Academy announced its nominees for what Americans call the “French Oscars” on Wednesday morning. “Elle” received 11 nominations in total, including best film and best director for Paul Verhoeven.

Following in a close send was Francois Ozon’s “Frantz,” which garnered 10 nominations, and Bruno Dumont’s “Slack Bay,” which received nine. Xavier Dolan received a best director nomination for “It’s Only the End of the World.” Actors Vincent Cassel, Gaspard Ulliel, and Nathalie Baye were all nominated for their work in Dolan’s film as well.

Read More: Oscars 2017 Surprises and Snubs: Amy Adams and ‘Weiner’ Out, Mel Gibson and ‘Passengers’ In

The Cesars have little import on the Oscars, though there is often some crossover. The French Academy did recognize Kenneth Lonergan...

Filmmaker was in post production on comedy Aquatic Effect.

Icelandic-French filmmaker Solveig Anspach died on Friday (Aug 7), aged 54, after a battle with cancer.

The Iceland born writer-director was a graduate of La Femis in Paris.

Her fictional debut feature was 1999’s Haut les Coeurs!, which was Cesar nominated. The director, who had been diagnosed with cancer at the time, told the fictional story of a pregnant musician who is told she has cancer (played by Karin Viard, who won a Cesar for the role).

Anspach’s 2003 film Stormy Weather, about a young psychiatrist who becomes fascinated by a young woman who refuses to speak, screened in Cannes Un Certain Regard.

Her 2012 film, Queen of Montreuil, won the Lina Mangiacapre Award in Venice Days and the audience award at the Reykjavik International Film Festival.

She was in post-production on her latest film Aquatic Effect (L’effet Aquatique), which was intended as the final film in an offbeat comedy...

Designer biopic leads the pack with 10 nominations; Kristen Stewart, Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche in the running for actress awards.Scroll down for full list of nominees

Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent and Olivier Assays’ Sils Maria are the hot favourites in France’s 40th annual Cesar awards.

France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominations for this year’s César Awards at its traditional news conference at Le Fouquet’s restaurant on the Champs Elysées on Friday morning.

Biopic Saint Laurent - exploring fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent’s life from 1967 to 1976 - led the pack with 10 nominations including best film, best director for Bonello, best actor for Gaspard Ulliel and best supporting actor for Louis Garrel.

Jalil Lespert’s rival biopic, Yves Saint Laurent, secured seven nominations. While it missed out in the best film and director categories, it scored nods with Pierre Niney for best actor, Charlotte Le Bon for best...