“Seraphine” Saluted with Seven French Cesars

A scene from Martin Provost's "Seraphine".

Martin Provost’s “Seraphine” won seven Cesar Awards in Paris last night, honored as best picture of the year and winning prizes for best original screenplay (Martin Provost), best actress (Yolande Moreau), best cinematography (Laurent Brunet), best costume design (Madeline Fontaine), best original score (Michael Galasso), and best set design (Thierry Francois).

The story of little known painter Seraphine de Senlis, the ficitionalized account of the artist was described by the Toronto International Film Festival as “a revelation.” Continuing the fest said, “Yolande Moreau’s performance as Seraphine is a towering accomplishment - she literally becomes the artist onscreen.”

Jean-Francois Richet won the directing prize for “Public Enemy Number One” and the film was also honored with the best acting prize for Vincent Cassel and an award for best sound.

The winners are:

Best film: “Seraphine,” directed by Martin Provost

Best director: Jean-Francois Richet, “Public Enemy Number One”

Best original screenplay: Martin Provost, “Seraphine”

Best adapted screenplay: Laurent Cantet, Francois Begaudeau, Robin Campillo, “The Class”

Best first film: “I’ve Loved You So Long,” Philippe Claudel

Best foreign film: Ari Folman, “Waltz With Bashir”

Best documentary: “The Beaches of Agnes,” directed by Agnes Varda

Best actress: Yolande Moreau in “Seraphine”

Best supporting actress: Elsa Zilberstein in “I’ve Loved You So Long”

Breakthrough performance, actress:  Deborah Francois in “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life”

Best actor: Vincent Cassel in “Public Enemy Number One”

Best supporting actor: Jean-Paul Roussillon in “A Christmas Tale”

Breakthrough performance, actor: Marc-Andre Grondin in “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life”

Best cinematography: Laurent Brunet, “Seraphine”

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Best costume design: Madeline Fontaine, “Seraphine” Best editing: Sophie Reine, “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life” Best original score: Michael Galasso, “Seraphine” Best sound: Alexandre Widmer, Francois Groult, Gerard Hardy, Herve Buirette, Jean Minondo, “Public Enemy Number One” Best set design: Thierry Francois, “Seraphine” Login to recommend this article » posted on March 7, 2009 Films to Snag Login to Leave a Comment »