César Award for Best Debut
Encyclopedia
The César Award
for Best Debut (César de la meilleure première œuvre in French
) was an award given out at the annual César Award
s between 1982 and 1999. In 2000 it was renamed the César Award for Best Debut in Fiction (César de la meilleure première œuvre de fiction), and again renamed in 2006 as the César Award for the Best First Film (César du meilleur premier film). Below are listed the winners in these categories from 1982 to the present day.
César Award
The César Award is the national film award of France, first given out in 1975. The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des arts et techniques du cinéma....
for Best Debut (César de la meilleure première œuvre in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) was an award given out at the annual César Award
César Award
The César Award is the national film award of France, first given out in 1975. The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des arts et techniques du cinéma....
s between 1982 and 1999. In 2000 it was renamed the César Award for Best Debut in Fiction (César de la meilleure première œuvre de fiction), and again renamed in 2006 as the César Award for the Best First Film (César du meilleur premier film). Below are listed the winners in these categories from 1982 to the present day.
Previous winners
- 1982César Awards 1982The 1982 César Awards were hosted by Orson Welles. The winners were:*Best Film:La Guerre du feu, directed by Jean-Jacques AnnaudCoup de Torchon, directed by Bertrand TavernierGarde à vue, directed by Claude MillerLes Uns et les Autres, directed by Claude Lelouch*Best Foreign Film:The Elephant Man,...
: Jean-Jacques BeineixJean-Jacques Beineix-Biography:In 1964, Jean-Jacques Beineix started his career as Jean Becker's assistant director on the famous French TV series, Les saintes chéries until the end of 1967. Then, in 1970 he worked for Claude Berri and in 1971 for Claude Zidi. In 1977, he directed his first short movie Le Chien de M....
(DivaDiva (film)Diva is a 1981 film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, adapted from a novel of the same name by Daniel Odier . It is one of the first French films to let go of the realist, harsh mood of 1970s French cinema and return to a colourful, melodic style, called cinema du look...
) - 1983César Awards 1983The 1983 César Awards were hosted by Catherine Deneuve. The winners were:*Best Film:La Balance, directed by Bob SwaimDanton, directed by Andrzej WajdaPassion, directed by Jean-Luc GodardUne chambre en ville, directed by Jacques Demy*Best Foreign Film:Victor Victoria, directed by Blake EdwardsE.T...
: Romain Goupil (Mourir à trente ansHalf a Life (film)Half a Life is a 1982 film directed by Romain Goupil, which won the Caméra d'Or and Award of the Youth at the Cannes Film Festival, and the César Award for Best Debut.- Plot :...
) - 1984César Awards 1984The 1984 César Awards were hosted by Gene Kelly. The winners were:*Best Film:La Bal, directed by Ettore ScolaÀ nos amours, directed by Maurice PialatCoup de foudre, directed by Diane KurysTchao pantin, directed by Claude BerriL'Été meurtrier, directed by Jean Becker*Best Foreign Film:Fanny and...
: Euzhan PalcyEuzhan PalcyEuzhan Palcy is a film director writer and producer from Martinique, French West Indies. She is notable for being the first black female director produced by a major Hollywood studio , for A Dry White Season; as well as being the only female filmmaker who directed Marlon Brando .- Early life and...
(Rue cases nègresSugar Cane AlleySugar Cane Alley is a 1983 film directed by Euzhan Palcy. It is set in Martinique in the 1930s, where blacks working sugarcane fields were still treated harshly by the white ruling class...
) - 1985César Awards 1985The 1985 César Awards were hosted by Simone Signoret. The winners were:*Best Film:Les Ripoux, directed by Claude ZidiL'amour à mort, directed by Alain ResnaisCarmen, directed by Francesco RosiLes Nuits de la pleine lune, directed by Éric RohmerUn dimanche à la campagne, directed by Bertrand...
: Richard DemboRichard DemboRichard Dembo was a French director and screenwriter.Dembo achieved worldwide recoginition with his first film: La diagonale du fou. For the direction of this film Dembo received an Oscar in 1984 for best foreign film, as well as other numerous awards...
(Dangerous Moves) - 1986César Awards 1986The 1986 César Awards were hosted by Madeleine Renaud and Jean-Louis Barrault. The winners were:*Best Film:3 hommes et un couffin, directed by Coline SerreauL'Effrontée, directed by Claude MillerPéril en la demeure, directed by Michel DevilleSans toit ni loi, directed by Agnès VardaSubway,...
: Mehdi CharefMehdi CharefMehdi Charef is a French film director and screenwriter of Algerian descent. He has worked on eleven films between 1985 and 2007. His film Le thé au harem d'Archimède was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival...
(Le Thé au harem d'ArchimèdeTea in the HaremTea in the Harem was a book written by Mehdi Charef, first published in 1983. In 1985 Charef also directed the film adaptation of the book. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival....
) - 1987César Awards 1987The 1987 César Awards were hosted by Sean Connery. The winners were:*Best Film:Thérèse, directed by Alain Cavalier37°2 le matin, directed by Jean-Jacques BeineixJean de Florette, directed by Claude BerriMélo, directed by Alain ResnaisTenue de soirée, directed by Bertrand Blier*Best Foreign...
: Régis WargnierRégis WargnierRégis Wargnier is a French film director, film producer, screenwriter, actor and film score composer.-Director:*1986 : La Femme de ma vie starring Jane Birkin*1988 : Sueurs froides...
(La Femme de ma vie) - 1988César Awards 1988The 1988 César Awards were hosted by Miloš Forman. The winners were:*Best Film:Au revoir, les enfants, directed by Louis MalleLe Grand Chemin, directed by Jean-Loup Hubert Les Innocents, directed by André TéchinéSous le soleil de Satan, directed by Maurice Pialat Tandem, directed by Patrice...
: Serge Meynard (L'Œil au beurre noir) - 1989César Awards 1989The 1989 César Awards were hosted by Peter Ustinov. The winners were:*Best Film:Camille Claudel, directed by Bruno NuyttenLe Grand bleu, directed by Luc BessonLa Lectrice, directed by Michel DevilleL'Ours, directed by Jean-Jacques AnnaudLa Vie est un long fleuve tranquille, directed by Étienne...
: Étienne ChatiliezÉtienne ChatiliezÉtienne Chatiliez is a French film director. He was born in Roubaix, France.After starting out directing many advertising clips, he is now a well-known director of feature-length films with some success.- Filmography :...
(Life Is a Long Quiet RiverLife is a long quiet riverLife Is a Long Quiet River is a French comedy by Étienne Chatiliez of 1988.- Plot :In a maternity clinic two children from families with completely different social backgrounds are switched at birth. One goes on to live in an upper middle class family while the other to a poor family...
) - 1990César Awards 1990The 1990 César Awards were hosted by Kirk Douglas. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:Trop belle pour toi, directed by Bertrand BlierMonsieur Hire, directed by Patrice LeconteNocturne indien, directed by Alain CorneauUn monde sans pitié, directed by Eric RochantLa Vie et rien d'autre,...
: Éric RochantÉric RochantÉric Rochant, born February 24, 1961, is a French film director and a screenwriter.- Filmography :* 1984 - Comme les doigts de la main* 1985 - French Lovers* 1987 - Présence féminine* 1989 - Un monde sans pitié...
(Un monde sans pitié) - 1991César Awards 1991The 1991 César Awards were hosted by Sophia Loren. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:Cyrano de Bergerac, directed by Jean-Paul RappeneauLe Mari de la coiffeuse, directed by Patrice LeconteNikita, directed by Luc BessonLe Petit criminel, directed by Jacques DoillonUranus, directed by Claude...
: Christian VincentChristian Vincent (director)Christian Vincent is a French film director and screenwriter. He won the César Award for Best Debut and Best Writing for La Discrète.- Filmography :*Il ne faut jurer de rien *Classique...
(La DiscrèteLa DiscrèteLa Discrète is a 1990 French film directed by Christian Vincent.-Cast and roles:* Fabrice Luchini - Antoine* Judith Henry - Catherine* Maurice Garrel - Jean* Marie Bunel - Solange* François Toumarkine - Manu* Brice Beaugier - Solange's friend...
) - 1992César Awards 1992The 1992 César Awards were hosted by Michèle Morgan. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:Tous les matins du monde, directed by Alain CorneauMerci la vie, directed by Bertrand BlierLa Belle Noiseuse, directed by Jacques RivetteVan Gogh, directed by Maurice Pialat*Best Foreign Film:Toto le...
: Marc CaroMarc CaroMarc Caro, born April 2, 1956, is a French filmmaker and cartoonist, best known for his co-directing projects with Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The two of them met at a film festival in 1974, and directed three short and two feature length films together....
and Jean-Pierre JeunetJean-Pierre Jeunet-Life and career:Jean-Pierre Jeunet was born in Roanne, Loire, France. He bought his first camera at the age of 17 and made short films while studying animation at Cinémation Studios. He befriended Marc Caro, a designer and comic book artist who became his longtime collaborator and...
(DelicatessenDelicatessen (film)Delicatessen is a 1991 French black comedy film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, starring Dominique Pinon and Karin Viard. It is set in an apartment building in a post-apocalyptic France of an ambiguous time period. The story focuses on the tenants of the building and their desperate...
) - 1993César Awards 1993The 1993 César Awards were hosted by Marcello Mastroianni. the winners and nominees were:*Best Film:Les Nuits fauves, directed by Cyril CollardLa Crise, directed by Coline SerreauIndochine, directed by Régis WargnierL.627, directed by Bertrand TavernierLe petit prince a dit, directed by Christine...
: Cyril CollardCyril CollardCyril Collard was a French author, filmmaker, composer, musician and actor. He is known for his unapologetic portrayals of bisexuality and HIV in art, particularly his autobiographical novel and film Les Nuits Fauves...
(Savage NightsSavage NightsLes Nuits Fauves is a 1992 French drama film directed and written by Cyril Collard. It stars Collard, Romane Bohringer and Carlos López. The film is an adaptation of Collard's semi-autobiographical novel Les Nuits Fauves, published in 1989...
(Les Nuits fauves)) - 1994César Awards 1994The 1994 César Awards were hosted by Gérard Depardieu. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:Smoking/No Smoking, directed by Alain ResnaisGerminal, directed by Claude BerriMa saison préférée, directed by André TéchinéTrois Couleurs: Bleu, directed by Krzysztof KieślowskiLes Visiteurs, directed...
: Anh Hung Tran (L'Odeur de la papaye verteThe Scent of Green PapayaThe Scent of Green Papaya is a Vietnamese-language film produced in France by Lazennec Production, and directed by Vietnamese-French director Tran Anh Hung....
) - 1995César Awards 1995The 1995 César Awards were hosted by Alain Delon. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:Les Roseaux sauvages, directed by André TéchinéLe Fils préféré, directed by Nicole GarciaLéon, directed by Luc BessonLa Reine Margot, directed by Patrice ChéreauTrois Couleurs: Rouge, directed by Krzysztof...
: Jacques AudiardJacques AudiardJacques Audiard is a French film director, the son of Michel Audiard, also a notable screenwriter and film director.He won twice both the César Award for Best Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language, in 2005 for The Beat That My Heart Skipped and in 2010 for A Prophet...
(Regarde les hommes tomber) - 1996César Awards 1996The 1996 César Awards were hosted by Philippe Noiret. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:La Haine, directed by Mathieu KassovitzLe Bonheur est dans le pré, directed by Étienne ChatiliezLa Cérémonie, directed by Claude ChabrolGazon maudit, directed by Josiane BalaskoLe Hussard sur le toit,...
: Didier BourdonDidier BourdonDidier Bourdon is a French Algeria-born actor, screenwriter and film director.He first reached stardom in France when he created the comedic trio Les Inconnus with Bernard Campan and Pascal Légitimus, which was very popular throughout the 1990s....
and Bernard CampanBernard CampanBernard Campan is a French actor, film director and writer. He is a member of Les Inconnus trio of humorists. He won a César Award for Best Debut for Les Trois Frères, and was nominated for best actor for his role in Se souvenir des belles choses.-Selected filmography:* The Bet * Augustin, King of...
(Les Trois FrèresLes Trois FrèresLes Trois Frères is a 1995 French film, directed by and starring Didier Bourdon and Bernard Campan.The film won the award for best first work at the César Awards in 1996.-Plot:...
) - 1997César Awards 1997The 1997 César Awards were hosted by Annie Girardot. The winners and nominees were:-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Philippe Torreton – Captain Conon...
: Sandrine VeyssetSandrine Veysset-Background and early career:She was born in Avignon. Veysset studied French literature until she dropped out of school to pursue filmmaking. A friend introduced her to Léos Carax and she was hired as his driver while he was shooting Les Amants du Pont-Neuf in 1989...
(Y aura-t-il de la neige à Noël?) - 1998César Awards 1998The 1998 César Awards were hosted by Juliette Binoche. The winners and nominees were:*Best Film:On connaît la chanson, directed by Alain ResnaisLe Bossu, directed by Philippe de BrocaThe Fifth Element, directed by Luc BessonMarius et Jeannette , directed by Robert GuédiguianWestern, directed by...
: Alain ChabatAlain ChabatAlain Chabat is a French actor and director who appeared in La Cité de la peur, French Twist, The Taste of Others and The Science of Sleep.- Life and career :Chabat was born in Oran, French Algeria. He is Jewish....
(Didier) - 1999César Awards 1999The 1999 César Awards were hosted by Isabelle Huppert. The winners and nominees were:The Dreamlife of Angels won the award for Best Film.-Best Actor – Leading Role:...
: Bruno Podalydès (Dieu seul me voit) - 2000César Awards 2000The 25th César Awards were hosted by Alain Delon.Venus Beauty Institute won the award for Best Film.-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Daniel Auteuil – Girl on the Bridge...
: Emmanuel Finkiel (Voyages) - 2001César Awards 2001-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Sergi López – Harry, He's Here to Help **Jean-Pierre Bacri – The Taste of Others...
: Laurent CantetLaurent CantetLaurent Cantet is a French director, born on June 15, 1961 at Melle . His parents were schoolteachers in Ardilleux.On 25 May 2008, he received the Palme d'Or at the Festival de Cannes 2008, for the movie Entre les murs.- As director :...
(Ressources humaines) - 2002César Awards 2002The 2002 César Awards were hosted by Nathalie Baye and Edouard Baer. The winners and nominees were:-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Michel Bouquet – How I Killed My Father...
: Danis TanovicDanis TanovicDanis Tanović is a Bosnian film director and screenwriter.Tanović is best known for having directed and written the script for the 2001 Bosnian movie No Man's Land which won an Academy Award. He was a member of the jury at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.-Biography:Danis Tanović was born in the...
(No Man's LandNo Man's Land (2001 film)No Man's Land is a 2001 tragic war drama that is set in the midst of the Bosnian war. The film is a parable and marked the debut of Bosnian writer and director Danis Tanović...
) - 2003César Awards 2003The 2003 César Awards were hosted by Géraldine Pailhas. The winners and nominees were:-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Adrien Brody – The Pianist**Daniel Auteuil – The Adversary...
: Zabou BreitmanIsabelle BreitmanZabou Breitman born Isabelle Breitman is a French actress and director of Jewish origin, known as Zabou or Zabou Breitman. She is the daughter of actors Jean-Claude Deret and Céline Léger. At age four, she appeared in her first movie. Since 1981, Zabou has acted in dozens of roles in films, TV...
(Se souvenir des belles choses) - 2004César Awards 2004The 2004 César Awards were hosted by Fanny Ardant and Gad Elmaleh. The winners and nominees were:-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Omar Sharif – Monsieur Ibrahim...
: Julie Bertucelli (Depuis qu'Otar est parti...Since Otar LeftSince Otar Left is a 2003 film by director Julie Bertuccelli, based around three Georgian women living in modern-day Tbilisi...
) - 2005César Awards 2005The 2005 César Awards were hosted by Isabelle Adjani and Gad Elmaleh. The winners and nominees were:-Best Actor – Leading Role:* Mathieu Amalric – Kings and Queen...
: Gilles PorteGilles PorteGilles Porte, born 11 May 1965 in Lyon , is a director, screenwriter, cinematographer, and assistant cameraman.He is a member of société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques , of société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique and of l'association française des cinémas d'art et d'essai...
and Yolande MoreauYolande MoreauYolande Moreau is a Belgian comedienne, actress and film director.-Biography:She has won two César Awards for Best Actress, in 2005 for When the Sea Rises and in 2009 for Séraphine....
(Quand la mer monte...) - 2006César Awards 2006The 2006 César Awards were the 31st edition of the biggest annual film awards in France. The ceremony took place in the Théâtre du Châtelet on February 25, 2006; hosted by Carole Bouquet and presented by Valérie Lemercier.-Summary:...
: Hubert SauperHubert SauperHubert Sauper is a documentary filmmaker best known for the highly controversial Darwin's Nightmare which was nominated for an Academy Award....
(Darwin's NightmareDarwin's NightmareDarwin's Nightmare is a 2004 French-Belgian-Austrian documentary film written and directed by Hubert Sauper, dealing with the environmental and social effects of the fishing industry around Lake Victoria in Tanzania. It premiered at the 2004 Venice Film Festival, and was nominated for the 2006...
) - 2007César Awards 2007The 2007 César Awards were the 32nd edition of the biggest annual film awards in France. The ceremony took place in the Théâtre du Châtelet on 24 February 2007; it was presented by Valérie Lemercier.-Winners and nominees:...
: Isabelle Mergault (Je vous trouve très beauJe Vous Trouve Très BeauJe Vous Trouve Très Beau is a French comedy film released in 2006 by the Gaumont company...
) - 2008César Awards 2008The 2008 César Awards were the 32nd edition of the biggest annual film awards in France. The ceremony took place in the Théâtre du Châtelet on 22 February 2008; it was presented by Antoine de Caunes.-Winners and nominees:...
: Marjane SatrapiMarjane SatrapiMarjane Satrapi is an Iranian-born French contemporary graphic novelist, illustrator, animated film director, and children's book author...
(PersepolisPersepolis (film)Persepolis is a 2007 French animated film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Satrapi with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The story...
) - 2009César Awards 2009The 34th Annual César Awards ceremony was held by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma to honor its selection of the best films of 2008 on February 27, 2009. Canal+ broadcast the event, which took place again at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France...
: Philippe ClaudelPhilippe ClaudelPhilippe Claudel , is a French writer and film director.Claudel was born in Dombasle-sur-Meurthe, Meurthe-et-Moselle. In addition to his writing, Claudel is a Professor of Literature at the University of Nancy....
(I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime)I've Loved You So LongI've Loved You So Long is a 2008 French-language drama film written and directed by Philippe Claudel. It tells the story of a woman struggling to interact with her family and find her place in society after spending fifteen years in prison.-Plot:...
) - 2010César Awards 2010The 35th Annual César Awards ceremony was held by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma to honor its selection of the best films of 2009 on February 27, 2010. Marion Cotillard was chosen as the Hononary President of the ceremony...
: Riad SattoufRiad SattoufRiad Sattouf is a French writer and cartoonist comics and film director of Syrian origin...
(The French KissersThe French KissersThe French Kissers is a 2009 French teen film. Its original French title is Les beaux gosses, which means "the handsome boys". It was written and directed by Riad Sattouf, marking his film debut...
) - 2011César Awards 2011The 36th Annual César Awards ceremony was held by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma to honor its selection of the best films of 2010 on February 25, 2011. Jodie Foster was the President of the awards...
: Joann SfarJoann SfarJoann Sfar is a French comics artist, comic book creator and film director.-Life and career:Sfar was born in Nice. He is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by...
(Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque))