The 2025 César Awards, France’s version of the Oscars, have kicked off in Paris. The 50th Césars sees Jacques Audiard’s Oscar contender Emilia Pérez, which picked up 12 César nominations, including for best film, face off against The Count of Monte Cristo, a new adaptation of the classic French revenge tale, from Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière, with 14 noms, and Beating Hearts, Gilles Lellouche’s contemporary reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, with 13.
Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón, a best actress nominee, is expected to attend the Paris gala, despite the controversy surrounding her offensive resurfaced tweets. Gascón, who is Spanish, skipped Spain’s national film awards, the Goyas, earlier this month following the backlash over her past social media posts. Netflix removed the actress, the first openly trans performer to be nominated for the best actress Oscar, from Emilia Pérez’s Oscar campaign in the U.S. amid the public fallout over the posts. Gascón, however, is expected to attend the Oscars on Sunday.
In the best actress category, Gascón is up against her Emilia Pérez co-star Zoe Saldaña. Saldaña, despite having more screen time than Gascón in the film, is a best supporting actress contender at the Oscars.
Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner, and Oscar contender, Anora, is up for the César for best foreign film, against Academy Award hopefuls including Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice and Jonathan Glazer’s 2024 Oscar winner The Zone of Interest. Julia Roberts will receive an honorary César from the French academy for lifetime achievement.
Notable among the acting nominees is Abou Sangare, nominated for Male Breakout Performance in Souleymane’s Story, who took home the best actor honor at last year’s European Film Awards.
The 49th César Awards are being handed out at the L’Olympia concert hall in Paris.
Winners of the 2025 César Awards (Updating Live)
Best Film
The Count of Monte Cristo
Producers: Dimitri Rassam, Jérôme Seydoux, Directors: Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière
Emilia Pérez
Producers: Pascal Caucheteux, Jacques Audiard, Valérie Schermann, Director: Jacques Audiard
The Marching Band
Producers: Marc Bordure, Robert Guédiguian, Director: Emmanuel Courcol
Souleymane’s Story
Producer: Bruno Nahon, Director: Boris Lojkine
Miséricorde
Producer: Charles Gillibert, Director: Alain Guiraudie
Best Director
Gilles Lellouche for Beating Hearts
Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière for The Count of Monte Cristo
Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez
Boris Lojkine for Souleymane’s Story
Alain Guiraudie for Miséricorde
Best Actress
Adèle Exarchopoulos for Beating Hearts
Karla Sofía Gascón for Emilia Pérez
Hafsia Herzi for Borgo
Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez
Hélène Vincent for When Fall is Coming
Best Actor
François Civil for Beating Hearts
Benjamin Lavernhe for The Marching Band
Karim Leklou for Jim’s Story
Pierre Niney for The Count of Monte Cristo
Tahar Rahim for Monsieur Aznavour
Best Supporting Actress
Élodie Bouchez for Beating Hearts
Anaïs Demoustier for The Count of Monte Cristo
Catherine Frot for Miséricorde
Nina Meurisse for Souleymane’s Story
Sarah Suco for The Marching Band
Best Supporting Actor
David Ayala for Miséricorde
Bastien Bouillon for The Count of Monte Cristo
Alain Chabat for Beating Hearts
Jacques Develay for Miséricorde
Laurent Lafitte for The Count of Monte Cristo
Best Female Revelation
Maïwène Barthèlemy for Holy Cow
Malou Khebizi for Wild Diamond
Megan Northam for Rabia
Mallory Wanecque for Beating Hearts
Souheila Yacoub for Planet B
Best Male Revelation
Abou Sangaré for Souleymane’s Story
Adam Bessa for Ghost Trail
Malik Frikah for Beating Hearts
Félix Kysyl for Miséricorde
Pierre Lottin for The Marching Band
Best Original Screenplay
Stéphane Demoustier for Borgo
Emmanuel Courcol, Irène Muscari for The Marching Band
Boris Lojkine, Delphine Agut for Souleymane’s Story
Alain Guiraudie for Miséricorde
Louise Courvoisier, Théo Abadie for Holy Cow
Best Adapted Screenplay
Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière for The Count of Monte Cristo
Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez
Michel Hazanavicius, Jean-Claude Grumberg for The Most Precious of Cargoes
Best Original Music
Jon Brion for Beating Hearts
Jérôme Rebotier for The Count of Monte Cristo
Clément Ducol, Camille for Emilia Pérez
Alexandre Desplat for The Most Precious of Cargoes
Linda Courvoisier, Charlie Courvoisier for Holy Cow
Best Sound
Cédric Deloche, Gwennolé Le Borgne, Jon Goc, Marc Doisne for Beating Hearts
David Rit, Gwennolé Le Borgne, Olivier Touche, Laure-Anne Darras, Marion Papinot, Marc Doisne, Samuel Delorme for The Count of Monte Cristo
Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Cyril Holtz, Niels Barletta for Emilia Pérez
Pascal Armant, Sandy Notarianni, Niels Barletta for The Marching Band
Marc-Olivier Brullé, Pierre Bariaud, Charlotte Butrak, Samuel Aïchoun for Souleymane’s Story
Best Cinematography
Laurent Tangy for Beating Hearts
Nicolas Bolduc for The Count of Monte Cristo
Paul Guillaume for Emilia Pérez
Tristan Galand for Souleymane’s Story
Claire Mathon for Miséricorde
Best Editing
Simon Jacquet for Beating Hearts
Célia Lafitedupont for The Count of Monte Cristo
Juliette Welfling for Emilia Pérez
Guerric Catala for The Marching Band
Xavier Sirven for Souleymane’s Story
Best Costume Design
Isabelle Pannetier for Beating Hearts
Thierry Delettre for The Count of Monte Cristo
Virginie Montel for Emilia Pérez
Isabelle Mathieu for Monsieur Aznavour
Anaïs Romand for Sarah Bernhardt, la divine
Best Set Design
Jean-Philippe Moreaux for Beating Hearts
Stéphane Taillasson for The Count of Monte Cristo
Emmanuelle Duplay for Emilia Pérez
Stéphane Rozenbaum for Monsieur Aznavour
Olivier Radot for Sarah Bernhardt, la divine
Best Visual Effects
Cédric Fayolle, Hugues Namur, Émilien Lazaron for The Beast
Olivier Cauwet for The Count of Monte Cristo
Cédric Fayolle for Emilia Pérez
Stéphane Dittoo for Monsieur Aznavour
Best Animated Film
Flow – Director: Gints Zilbalodis, French Co-Producer: Ron Dyens
The Most Precious of Cargoes – Director: Michel Hazanavicius, Producers: Patrick Sobelman, Florence Gastaud, Michel Hazanavicius
Savages – Director: Claude Barras, French Co-Producers: France Laurence Petit, Barbara Letellier, Carole Scotta
Best Documentary
The Belle from Gaza – Director: Yolande Zauberman, Producers: Bruno Nahon, Yolande Zauberman
Bye Bye Tiberias – Director: Lina Soualem, Producer: Jean-Marie Nizan
Dahomey – Director: Mati Diop, Producers: Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found – Director: Raoul Peck, Producer: Raoul Peck
La Ferme des Bertrand – Director: Gilles Perret, Producers: Denis Carot, Ulysse Payet
Madame Hofmann – Director: Sébastien Lifshitz, Producer: Muriel Meynard
Best Debut Film
Wild Diamond – Director: Agathe Riedinger, Producers: Priscilla Bertin, Judith Nora
Ghost Trail – Director: Jonathan Millet, Producer: Pauline Seigland
The Kingdom – Director: Julien Colonna, Producers: Hugo Sélignac, Antoine Lafon
A Little Something Extra – Director: Artus, Producers: Pierre Forette, Thierry Wong
Holy Cow – Director: Louise Courvoisier, Producer: Muriel Meynard
Best Foreign Film
Anora – Director: Sean Baker
The Seed of the Sacred Fig – Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
The Apprentice – Director: Ali Abbasi
The Substance – Director: Coralie Fargeat
The Zone of Interest – Director: Jonathan Glazer
Best Animated Short
Yuck! – Director: Loïc Espuche, Producer: Juliette Marquet, Manon Messiant
Gigi – Director: Cynthia Calvi, Producer: Luc Camilli
Butterfly – Director: Florence Miailhe, Producer: Ron Dyens, Luc Camilli
Best Documentary Short
Les Fiancées du Sud – Director: Elena López Riera, Producers: Sylvie Pialat, Alejandro Arenas Azorín
Petit Spartacus – Director: Sara Ganem, Producer: Anne Luthaud
Un cœur perdu et autres rêves de Beyrouth – Director: Maya Abdul-Malak, Producer: Anne-Catherine Witt
Honoarary César
Julia Roberts
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