Notícias

Paris -- France's film industry doesn't need a prophet to determine the favorite for this year's upcoming Cesar Awards as Jacques Audiard's gritty prison drama "A Prophet" continues to sweep through awards season in Gaul.

The drama was named best film of the year at the "Globes de Cristal" (Crystal Globes) ceremony Monday night and earned the French Film Critics Syndicate's top prize announced Tuesday.

The film's breakout star Tahar Rahim was named best actor at the Globes de Cristal ceremony held at Paris' Lido theater. Isabelle Adjani was named best actress for her role in "Skirt Day".

Thousands of national and regional French journalists vote for the prizes over the Internet and awards in categories including theater, opera, dance, literature, fashion designer and art expo were also distributed.

The French Film Critics Syndicate also gave prizes to Nassim Amaouche's "Adieu, Gary" for best first film, Patrick-Mario Bernard...

Paris – French Academy members got serious on Friday with two politically charged dramas heading the major categories for the 35th annual Cesar Awards that will see Jacques Audiard's "A Prophet" go head to head with Philippe Lioret's "Welcome." The nominees were announced Friday at a press conference in Paris.

While no one can foresee the winners, "A Prophet" looks bound to triumph with Jacques Audiard's prison drama nominated for 13 awards including best film, best director and a best actor and most promising male newcomer nod for the film's breakout star Tahar Rahim.

Academy voters also gave a hearty reception to Phillipe Lioret's "Welcome" with 10 nods and Xavier Giannoli's "In the Beginning" with 11 nominations.

Radu Mihaileanu's "The Concert" was also music to voters' ears with the tragicomedy about a washed-up former conductor of the Bolshoi orchestra who travels to Paris to make his career comeback scoring six nominations.

Sometimes, I should tell you that there are times when I wish I lived in France because of its cultural life. After all, I already know how to speak French so, I shouldn't have any difficulty to find a job and blend in. Anyway, yesterday, the trailer of the upcoming film L'autre Dumas (unofficial translation: The Other Dumas) has been released online and the film will be released in France on February 10, 2010.

Directed by Safy Nebbou, this film is a biopic dealing with the relation between French novelist Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet, Dumas's ghostwriter (or "literary Negro" as the French said it back in the 18th and 19th century). The film takes place in February 1848. Alexandre Dumas (Gérard Dépardieu?) is at the height of his fame. Besides, what would his novels such as The Three Musketeers or The Count of Monte-Cristo have been without the help of Auguste Maquet (Benoît Poelvoorde)? However,...