Carine Tardieu’s family drama The Ties That Bind Us (L’Attachement) won Best Film at the French César Awards in Paris on Thursday evening, while Richard Linklater clinched Best Director for Nouvelle Vague.
The Best Film winner, which world premiered in Venice’s Orizzonti sidebar last year, stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as a happily solitary women who finds herself drawn into the chaotic life of her neighbors, young parents whose lives take a tragic turn.
Vimala Pons won the César for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama.
Linklater’s ode to the French New Wave Nouvelle Vague, which went into the ceremony as the frontrunner with nominations in 10 categories, also won Best Editing, Costumes and Cinematographer.
David Cronenberg hit the stage to announce the Best Director winner, although Linklater was not in Paris. In his preamble, Cronenberg joked that directing was not as hard as people made out.
“Making a film isn’t that difficult: you just walk around all day and say, action’ and ‘cut’,” he said.
In earlier prizes, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another won Best International Film, beating nominees The Secret Agent, Black Dog, Sirāt and Sentimental Value.
Other winners of the evening included surprise French box office hit Whispers in the Woods, which clinched Best Documentary and Sound.
Ugo Bienvenu’s Oscar-nominated Arco continued its prize-winning streak to take Best Animated Feature as well as Original Music for Arnaud Toulon.
The star of the evening was Canadian actor Jim Carrey who was feted with an Honorary César following in the wake of the likes of Julia Roberts (2025), Christopher Nolan (2024), David Fincher (2023) Cate Blanchett (2022) and George Clooney (2017).
Lead presenter Benjamin Lavernhe, known internationally for his roles in The Marching Band and Jean du Barry, kicked off the evening with a high energy The Mask-themed musical number in honor of Carrey, who smiled broadly throughout.
Carrey delivered a highly accented acceptance speech in French after he received the rectangle shaped trophy from Michel Gondry who directed him in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The Truman Show and Man on the Moon actor recalled how his great-great-great-grandfather Marc-François Carrey had emigrated from the French port city of Saint Malo for Canada, while he himself had then travelled onto Los Angeles, and suggested the trophy had brought the family full circle.
Benjamin Lavernhe performs during the 51st Cesar Film Awards at L’Olympia
Getty Images
As ever there were political moments throughout the show.
Call My Agent! star Camille Cottin, in her role of ceremony president, opened the awards with a satirical speech on her plan to make cinema “great again”, ending on a note of celebration for French cinema as a “national treasure” and the wider power of cinema.
“Culture is often the first to be attacked, because it is a weapon against authoritarianism. We want to dedicate this ceremony to all peoples who fight for their freedoms at the risk of their lives,” she said.
Actor Emmanuel Curtil, who came on stage as the official French voice of Carrey, used his appearance both to welcome the star but also recall the authenticity of real voices over AI in the dubbing of films.
Isabelle Adjani, who handed over the Best Actor prize to Laurent Lafitte, asked all the men in the auditorium to stand up in a show of solidarity for women in the face of violence and gave a special mention to the women of Iran and Afghanistan.
Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani gave an impassioned speech in support of the people of Iran in the face of the brutal crackdown against pro-democracy protests in January, and paid tribute to Jafar Panahi.
He was present with Cannes Palme d’Or winner It Was Just An Accident which was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. However, that honor went to popular actor Franck Dubosc and Sarah Kaminsky for dark comedy How To Make A Killing.
Full List of 2026 César Winners
Best Film
The Ties That Bind Us by Carine Tardieu
Best Director
Richard Linklater for Nouvelle Vague
Best Actor
Laurent Lafitte, The Richest Woman in the World
Best Actress
Léa Drucker, Case 137
Best Original Screenplay
Franck Dubosc, Sarah Kaminsky, How To Make A Killing
Best Screenplay Adaptation
Carine Tardieu, Raphaële Moussafir, Agnès Feuvre for The Ties That Bind
Best Supporting Actress
Vimala Pons, The Ties That Bind Us
Best Supporting Actor
Pierre Lottin, The Stranger
Best Female Acting Hope
Nadia Melliti, The Little Sister
Best Male Acting Hope
Théodore Pellerin, Nino
Best First Film
Nino, directed by Pauline Loqués
Best International Film
One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Best documentary
Whispers in the Woods, directed by Vincent Munier
Best Animated Feature
Arco by Ugo Bienvenu
Best Cinematography
David Chambille for Nouvelle Vague
Best Original Music
Arnaud Toulon, Arco
Best Editing
Catherine Schwartz, Nouvelle Vague
Best Sound
Romain Cadilhac, Marc Namblard, Olivier Touche, Olivier Goinard for Whispers in the Wood
Best Costumes
Pascaline Chavanne for Nouvelle Vague
Best Production Design
Catherine Cosme for The Great Arch
Best Special Effects
Lise Fischer for The Great Arch
Best Live Action Short Film
Mort d’un Acteur directed by Ambroise Rateau
Best Animated Short Film
Fille de l’eau by Sandra Desmazières
Best Short Documentary
Au bain des dames by Margaux Fournier