The feature film by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, whose main actor is accused of rape, is selected in seven categories, including that of best film.
By Jean-Luc Wachthausen
© JB LACROIX / Full Picture Agency / Full Picture Agency via AFP
Published on
Subscriber-only audio playback
SOut of 632 French short and feature films, the 4,705 members of the Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques selected this year, by secret electronic vote, the works and artists in the running for the César ceremony which takes place This evening. Strangely, none of the competition’s favorite filmmakers are in the category of best director alongside Cédric Klapisch, Dominik Moll, Louis Garrel, Cédric Jimenez and Albert Serra. Alice Diop (Saint-Omer), Alice Vinocour (See Paris again) and Rebecca Zlotowski (Other people’s children) were readjusted. Which is not a good sign for the new team of the Académie des César who, three years ago, had promised more parity, the end of machismo and self-segregation.
The 50/50 Collective hastened to declare to Agence France-Presse: “Last year, the Academy of Oscars was criticized for too white a competition. This year, too masculine. The Césars of 2023 combine this double invisibilization. »
A single director, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, with The Almond Trees – film which evokes the 1980s in the famous theater school of Nanterre directed by Patrice Chéreau and Pierre Romans – finds a place in the category of the best film which moreover rewards the producer more than the director. Opposite her, we find the same filmmakers without Cédric Jimenez.
Precautionary principle, according to the Academy
A stroke of luck for Carla Bruni’s sister, whose film appears in six other categories, including “best original screenplay” with Noémie Lvovsky and Agnès de Sacy, “best actor in a supporting role” with Michel Lescot, and “best female hope with Nadia Tereszkiewicz. But no more Caesar of the best male hope for Sofiane Bennacer, quickly ousted last November after being accused of rape. Without waiting for justice to have time to decide.
For the Academy, it is above all a precautionary principle that applies to everyone. The young actor, companion of Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, who protects him (“I couldn’t have made this film without him,” she says) allegedly behaved inappropriately during filming, behavior denounced by the film crew. movie.
READ ALSOCésar 2023: the world of cinema is once again playing the audience card
Of course, Valérie Bruni Tedeschi is the direct victim of this affair. In the crosshairs of #MeToo and the 50/50 Collective, she may well denounce the pillorying of her foal, the case has not calmed down, quite the contrary. To the point that some cinema operators have deprogrammed Almond trees, which totaled 213,925 entries. What to wonder if the film will not pay dearly for it in the César list, victim of a barrage of voters shocked that it can appear in the applicants. A “presumption of guilt” denounced by a petition signed by 204 personalities.
In fact, no one really wants to defend these almond trees with a sulphurous reputation, for fear of being blacklisted or unemployed. Will voters validate their first choice or will they backtrack? Hard to predict. The fact remains that during the scandal caused in 2020 by the eleven nominations for the film I accuse of Polanski, the voters had not followed the watchwords of #MeToo by granting him three Caesars, including that of the best director.