A new presidency, renewed statutes, a more transparent and more democratic representation: the Caesar ceremony has been given a facelift after the crisis and the controversies of last year. The questioning of a management deemed opaque and autocratic by its president Alain Terzian, then the prize awarded to director Roman Polanski, despite the recurring accusations of rape to which he is the subject, seriously shook the Academy of Arts and Techniques of cinema and cast doubt on an institution that, since 1976, has been supposed to celebrate French cinema.

All the more reason, despite the context made extremely difficult by the Covid-19 epidemic, for the evening to take place this year, estimated the new duo who preside over its destinies: Véronique Cayla and Éric Toledano. ” Our priority is to keep the building upright, explained the director in one of the rare interviews given to the Parisian. We believe it is important to maintain the date, the ceremony and the award ceremony to send a signal of strength at a time when the cinema is in difficulty ”.

A narrow choice of 125 films

This will take place on March 12 at the Olympia, with or without an audience depending on the health situation, under the chairmanship of actor Roschdy Zem and with actress Marina Foïs, very involved in this renewal, as master of ceremonies. Blanche Gardin and Laurent Lafitte, whose caustic humor we know, will provide the texts and Benjamin Biolay will conduct the orchestra.

→ READ. Véronique Cayla and Éric Toledano, a tandem to pacify the Caesars

A rather invigorating cast for a particular evening since the cinemas have still not reopened and the voters will have to decide on a narrow choice of films: 125 French films were thus eligible this year against 220 last year.

At the end of the first vote, closed Tuesday evening February 9, they are those of Emmanuel Mouret The things we say, the things we do (13 nominations), Albert Dupontel, Goodbye idiots and François Ozon, Summer 85, (12 nominations) which appear as the big favorites of the evening. They are closely followed by the comedy of Caroline Vignal Antoinette in the Cévennes, with 8 nominations and the documentary by Sébastien Lifshitz, Teenage girls, which collects 6 nominations after winning the Louis-Delluc Prize.

→ APPOINTMENTS. César 2021: Emmanuel Mouret, Albert Dupontel and François Ozon favorites

Very different films, which performed well in theaters despite the situation and clearly illustrate the strength and diversity of French cinema. The surprise comes once again from Of them, by Filippo Meneghetti, a first film that passed under the radar when it was released, in the race for the Oscar for best foreign film and whose two magnificent actresses, Martine Chevallier and Barbara Sukowa, were nominated for the César for best actress .