Shining brightly in France’s Lumières

Nominations revealed for foreign press awards

by Richard Mowe

Roller-coaster ride: Félix Lefebvre and Benjamin Voisin in Summer Of 85
Roller-coaster ride: Félix Lefebvre and Benjamin Voisin in Summer Of 85 Photo: UniFrance

The nominations for the 26th edition of the Lumière Awards (France’s equivalent of the Golden Globes) have just been revealed by the Foreign Press Association.

The winners will be revealed on 19 January with such titles as Emmanuel Mouret’s Love Stories (Les Choses Qu’on Dit, Les Choses Qu’on Fait); Filippo Meneghetti’s Two Of Us (Deux); Charlène Favier’s Slalom; François Ozon’s Summer Of 85 (Été 85); and Albert Dupont’s Bye Bye Morons (Adieu Les Cons) leading the fray. The 77 titles under consideration illustrate the the quality and diversity of French productions and co-productions during the year, it was suggested in a media release from the Academy of the Lumières.

Léa Drucker and Martine Chevallier in Two Of Us
Léa Drucker and Martine Chevallier in Two Of Us Photo: UniFrance

The animated feature Josep also figured prominently with three nominations in different categories.

“The directors Albert Dupontel, Filippo Meneghetti, Emmanuel Mouret, Maïwenn and François Ozon; actresses Laure Calamy, Martine Chevallier, Barbara Sukowa, Camélia Jordana, Emmanuelle Devos and Virginie Efira; actors Sami Bouajila, Jonathan Cohen, Albert Dupontel, Nicolas Maury and Jérémie Rénier attracted our attention with the focus once again on established names, new talents and and exciting innovators,” said the Academy.

With France’s cinemas closed by the pandemic until mid-January the Academy has maintained its support for two films whose release has been postponed until next year: Slalom and The Man Who Sold His Skin (L’Homme Qui A Vendu Sa Peau) by Kaouther Ben Hania.

A total of 35 films remain in contention out of the 77 eligible for consideration, including seven co-productions. The voting members of the Lumiere Academy represent 36 different countries.

Lumière nominations in full:-

Best Film

  • Bye Bye Morons (Albert Dupontel)
  • Love Affairs (Emmanuel Mouret)
  • Two Of Us (Filippo Meneghetti)
  • Summer Of 85 (François Ozon)
  • The Girl With A Bracelet (Stéphane Demoustier)

Best Director

  • Albert Dupontel (Bye Bye Morons)
  • Maïwenn (ADN)
  • Filippo Meneghetti (Two Of Us)
  • Emmanuel Mouret (Love Affairs)
  • François Ozon (Summer Of 85)

Best Script

  • Stéphane Demoustier (The Girl With A Bracelet)
  • Filippo Meneghetti and Malysone Bovarasmy (Two Of Us)
  • Jean-Louis Milesi (Josep)
  • Emmanuel Mouret (Love Affairs)
  • Caroline Vignal (My Donkey, My Lover And I)

Best Documentary

  • Adolescentes (Sébastien Lifshitz)
  • La Cravate (Etienne Chaillou & Mathias Théry)
  • Kongo (Hadrien La Vapeur & Corto Vaclav)
  • Un Pays Qui Se Tient Sage (David Dufresne)
  • Si C'était De L'amour (Patric Chiha)

Best Animated Film

  • Calamity, Une Enfance Martha Jane Cannary (Rémi Chayé)
  • L'extraordinaire Voyage (Marona d'Anca Damian)
  • Josep (Aurel)
  • Petit Vampire (Joann Sfar)

Best Actress

  • Laure Calamy (My Donkey, My Lover And I)
  • Martine Chevallier & Barbara Sukowa (Two Of Us)
  • Emmanuelle Devos (Perfumes)
  • Virginie Efira (Bye Bye Morons)
  • Camelia Jordana (Love Stories)

Best Actor

  • Sami Boujila (Un Fils)
  • Jonathan Cohen (Énorme)
  • Albert Dupontel (Bye Bye Morons)
  • Nicolas Maury (Garçon Chiffon)
  • Jérémie Rénier (Slalom)

Best Female Newcomer

Best Male Newcomer

  • Guang Huo (La Nuit Venue)
  • Félix Lefebvre & Benjamin Voisin (Summer Of 85)
  • Djibril Vancoppenolle (Small Country)
  • Alexandre Wetter (Miss)
  • Jean-Pascal Zadi (Tout Simplement Noir)

Best First Film

  • Two Of Us (Filippo Meneghetti)
  • Arab Blues (Manele Labidi)
  • Mignonnes (Maïmouna Doucouré)
  • Slalom (Charlène Favier)
  • Tout Simplement Noir (Jean-Pascal Zadi & John Wax)

Best International Co-production

Best Cinematography

  • Hichame Alaouie (Summer Of 85)
  • Renato Berta (Le Sel Des Larmes)
  • Laurent Desmet (Love Affairs)
  • Yann Maritaud (Slalom)
  • Aurélien Marra (Two Of Us)

Best Music

  • Bertrand Burgalat (Les Apparences)
  • Florencia di Concilio (Calamity, Une Enfance De Martha Jane Cannary)
  • Silvia Pérez Cruz (Josep)
  • Pablo Pico (L’Extraordinaire Voyage De Marona)
  • Rone (La Nuit Venue)
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