31/01/2017 - Paul Verhoeven’s feature has gone home with three major accolades, while two prizes went to Last Days of Louis XIV, My Life as a Courgette and Divines

Isabelle Huppert collects her Lumière prize for Elle (© Académie des Lumière)

Best Film of 2016, Best Director and Best Actress, for Isabelle Huppert: the favourite title Elle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Dutch director Paul Verhoeven proved the predictions correct when it topped the winners’ list at the 22nd Lumières Awards. Similar to the Golden Globes in that they are handed out to the best films and artists in French and French-language cinema by foreign journalists working in Paris, the trophies were given out last night at the Théâtre de la Madeleine at a ceremony that also paid tribute to Marion Cotillard and Cannes General Delegate Thierry Frémaux, both of whom were in attendance.

This edition of the Lumières Awards also shone a spotlight on two other French productions directed by European filmmakers. Last Days of Louis XIV [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Albert Serra
film profile] by Spaniard Albert Serra earned Jean-Pierre Léaud the Best Actor Award and DoP Jonathan Ricquebourg the Best Cinematography Award. Meanwhile, My Life as a Courgette [+see also:
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interview: Claude Barras
film profile] by Swiss director Claude Barras was, as widely expected, crowned in the animation category (let’s not forget that the movie has been nominated for the upcoming Oscar in its respective category) and raised eyebrows when it also pocketed the Best Screenplay Award, for Céline Sciamma. 

Lastly, we should also note the double win for Houda Benyamina’s Divines [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Houda Benyamina
film profile], which was crowned Best Debut Film as well as triumphing in the Best New Actress category (for Oulaya Amamra and Déborah Lukumuena). This emphasis on new blood was offset by the trophy for Best Documentary that went to seasoned director Bertrand Tavernier with Journey Through French Cinema [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Film
Elle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Paul Verhoeven

Best Director 
Paul Verhoeven – Elle

Best Actress 
Isabelle Huppert – Elle

Best Actor 
Jean-Pierre Léaud – Last Days of Louis XIV [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Albert Serra
film profile]

Best Screenplay 
Céline Sciamma – My Life as a Courgette [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Claude Barras
film profile]

Best Cinematography
Jonathan Ricquebourg – Last Days of Louis XIV

Best New Actor 
Damien Bonnard – Staying Vertical [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alain Guiraudie
film profile]

Best New Actress 
Oulaya Amamra and Déborah Lukumuena – Divines [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Houda Benyamina
film profile]

Best Debut Film 
Divines - Houda Benyamina

Best French-language Film 
Hedi [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] - Mohamed Ben Attia (Tunisia/Belgium)

Best Animated Film 
My Life as a Courgette - Claude Barras

Best Documentary
Journey Through French Cinema [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Bertrand Tavernier

Best Music
Ibrahim Maalouf – In the Forests of Siberia [+see also:
trailer
film profile]

(Translated from French)