French Union Of Film Critics
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The French Syndicate of Cinema Critics (french: Syndicat français de la critique de cinéma et des films de télévision) has, each year since 1946, awarded a prize ("
Prix de la critique The Prix de la critique is a prize awarded by the Association des Critiques et des journalistes de Bande Dessinée to the best comic album released for a year in France. Previously, from 1984 to 2003, it was called ''Prix Bloody Mary'' and awarded ...
", English: "Critics Prize"), the Prix Méliès, to the best French film of the preceding year. More awards have been added over time: the Prix
Léon Moussinac Léon Pierre Guillaume Moussinac (19 January 1890 – 10 March 1964) was a French writer, film and art critic, film historian and film theorist. Life and career Moussinac was born in the family of a railroad station master. He studied law and ha ...
for the best foreign film, added in 1967; the Prix Novaïs-Texeira for the best short film, added in 1999; prizes for the best first French and best first foreign films, added in 2001 and 2014, respectively; etc. Each year, the Syndicate also organizes the International Critics' Week, which is the oldest parallel competitive section of the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.


Best French Film


1940s

*1946: ''
La Bataille du rail ''The Battle of the Rails'' (French: ''La Bataille du rail'') is a 1946 French war film directed by René Clément. It depicts the efforts by railway workers in the French Resistance to sabotage German military transport trains during the Second ...
'' by
René Clément René Clément (; 18 March 1913 – 17 March 1996) was a French film director and screenwriter. Life and career Clément studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts where he developed an interest in filmmaking. In 1936, he directed hi ...
*1947: ''
Le Silence est d'or ''Man About Town'' (french: Le silence est d'or, lit=Silence is golden) is a 1947 romantic comedy film written and directed by René Clair. It was released in a shortened version in the United States as ''Man About Town''. The film marked Clair' ...
'' by
René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...
*1948: ''
Paris 1900 The 1900 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1900, link=no), today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad () and also known as Paris 1900, were an international multi-sport event that took place in Paris, France, from 1 ...
'' by
Nicole Védrès Nicole Védrès (4 September 1911 – 20 November 1965), born Nicole Henriette Désirée Charlotte Cahen dit Nathan dit Rais, was a French author, columnist, essayist, journalist, screenwriter and film director. Life and work Védrès was ...
*1949: ''
Manon ''Manon'' () is an ''opéra comique'' in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel '' L'histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut'' by the Abbé Prévost. It was first ...
'' by
Henri-Georges Clouzot Henri-Georges Clouzot (; 20 November 1907 – 12 January 1977) was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed ''The Wages of Fear'' and '' Les Diaboliques'', ...


1950s

*1950: '' Rendezvous in July'' (''Rendez-vous de juillet'') by
Jacques Becker Jacques Becker (; 15 September 1906 – 21 February 1960) was a French film director and screenwriter. His films, made during the 1940s and 1950s, encompassed a wide variety of genres, and they were admired by some of the filmmakers who led th ...
*1951: ''
Diary of a Country Priest ''Diary of a Country Priest'' (french: Journal d'un curé de campagne) is a 1951 French drama film written and directed by Robert Bresson, and starring Claude Laydu in his debut film performance. A faithful adaptation of Georges Bernanos' nove ...
'' (''Journal d'un curé de campagne'') by
Robert Bresson Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director. Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, and s ...
*1952: ''
Les Belles de nuit ''Les Belles de nuit'' (US title: ''Beauties of the Night'') is a 1952 French language motion picture fantasy directed and written by René Clair who co-produced with Angelo Rizzoli. The film stars Gérard Philipe, Martine Carol, Gina Lollobrig ...
'' by
René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...
*1953: ''
The Wages of Fear ''The Wages of Fear'' (french: Le Salaire de la peur) is a 1953 French thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense el ...
'' (''Le salaire de la peur'') by
Henri-Georges Clouzot Henri-Georges Clouzot (; 20 November 1907 – 12 January 1977) was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his work in the thriller film genre, having directed ''The Wages of Fear'' and '' Les Diaboliques'', ...
*1954: '' The Red and the Black'' (''Le rouge et le noir'') by
Claude Autant-Lara Claude Autant-Lara (; 5 August 1901 – 5 February 2000) was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Biography Born at Luzarches in Val-d'Oise, Autant-Lara was educated in France and at London's Mill Hill Sc ...
*1955: ''
Rififi ''Rififi'' (french: Du rififi chez les hommes) is a 1955 French crime film adaptation of Auguste Le Breton's novel of the same name. Directed by American Hollywood blacklist, blacklisted filmmaker Jules Dassin, the film stars Jean Servais as the ...
'' by Jules Dassin *1956: '' The Silent World'' (''Le monde du silence'') by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and '' Les Grandes Manœuvres'' by
René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...
*1957: '' La Traversée de Paris'' by
Claude Autant-Lara Claude Autant-Lara (; 5 August 1901 – 5 February 2000) was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Biography Born at Luzarches in Val-d'Oise, Autant-Lara was educated in France and at London's Mill Hill Sc ...
and '' A Man Escaped'' by
Robert Bresson Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director. Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, and s ...
*1958: '' Mon Oncle'' by Jacques Tati *1959: ''
Hiroshima mon amour ''Hiroshima mon amour'' (, lit. , ), is a 1959 romantic drama film directed by French director Alain Resnais and written by French author Marguerite Duras. Resnais' first feature-length work, it was a co-production between France and Japan, and ...
'' by Alain Resnais and ''
The 400 Blows ''The 400 Blows'' (french: Les Quatre Cents Coups) is a 1959 French coming-of-age drama film, and the directorial debut of François Truffaut. The film, shot in DyaliScope, stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, and Claire Maurier. One of ...
'' by
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...


1960s

*1960: ''
Le Trou ''The Hole'' (french: Le Trou) is a 1960 French crime film directed by Jacques Becker. It is an adaptation of José Giovanni's 1957 book '' The Break''. It was called ''The Night Watch'' when first released in the United States, but is released un ...
'' by
Jacques Becker Jacques Becker (; 15 September 1906 – 21 February 1960) was a French film director and screenwriter. His films, made during the 1940s and 1950s, encompassed a wide variety of genres, and they were admired by some of the filmmakers who led th ...
and ''
A bout de souffle ''Breathless'' (french: À bout de souffle, lit=Out of Breath) is a 1960 French crime drama film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard. It stars Jean-Paul Belmondo as a wandering criminal named Michel, and Jean Seberg as his American girlfrien ...
'' by
Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard ( , ; ; 3 December 193013 September 2022) was a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. He rose to prominence as a pioneer of the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s, alongside such filmmakers as Fran ...
*1961: '' Last Year at Marienbad'' by Alain Resnais *1962: '' Cléo from 5 to 7'' (''Cléo de 5 à 7'') by
Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist. Her pioneering work was central to the development of the widely influential French New Wave film ...
*1963: '' The Trial'' by
Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
*1964: ''
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (french: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg) is a 1964 musical romantic drama film written and directed by Jacques Demy, with music and lyrics by Michel Legrand. Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo star as two young l ...
'' (''Les parapluies de Cherbourg'') by
Jacques Demy Jacques Demy (; 5 June 1931 – 27 October 1990) was a French director, lyricist, and screenwriter. He appeared at the height of the French New Wave alongside contemporaries like Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. Demy's films are celebrat ...
*1965: '' The Shameless Old Lady'' (''La vieille dame indigne'') by
René Allio René Allio (; 3 August 1924, Marseille – 27 March 1995, Paris) was a French film and theater director. Filmography * ''The Shameless Old Lady ''The Shameless Old Lady'' (Original title: ''La Vieille dame indigne'') is a 1965 French film. ...
*1966: '' The War Is Over'' (''La guerre est finie'') by Alain Resnais and ''
Au Hasard Balthazar ''Au Hasard Balthazar'' (; meaning "Balthazar, at Random"), also known as ''Balthazar'', is a 1966 French drama film directed by Robert Bresson. Believed to be inspired by a passage from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 1868–69 novel ''The Idiot'', the film ...
'' by
Robert Bresson Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director. Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, and s ...
*1967: ''
Belle de Jour Belle may refer to: * Belle (''Beauty and the Beast'') * Belle (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Belle (surname), a list of people Brands and enterprises * Belle Air, a former airline with headquarters in Tirana, Albania * ...
'' by Luis Buñuel and ''
Mouchette ''Mouchette'' () is a 1967 French film directed by Robert Bresson, starring Nadine Nortier and Jean-Claude Guilbert. It is based on the novel of the same name by Georges Bernanos. Bresson explained his choice of the novel saying, "I found neither ...
'' by
Robert Bresson Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director. Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, and s ...
*1968: '' Stolen Kisses'' (''Baisers volés'') by
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
*1969: ''
My Night at Maud's ''My Night at Maud's'' (french: Ma nuit chez Maud), also known as ''My Night with Maud'' (UK), is a 1969 French New Wave drama film by Éric Rohmer. It is the third film (fourth in order of release) in his series of ''Six Moral Tales''. Over the ...
'' (''Ma nuit chez Maud'') by
Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...


1970s

*1970: ''
The Wild Child ''The Wild Child'' (french: L'Enfant sauvage, released in the United Kingdom as ''The Wild Boy'') is a 1970 French film by director François Truffaut. Featuring Jean-Pierre Cargol, François Truffaut, Françoise Seigner and Jean Dasté, it tel ...
'' (''L'enfant sauvage'') by
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
*1971: ''
Claire's Knee ''Claire's Knee'' (french: Le Genou de Claire) is a 1970 French drama film directed by Éric Rohmer. It is the fifth movie in the series of the ''Six Moral Tales''. Plot The story happens between 29 June and 29 July, presumably in 1970. Intertit ...
'' (''Le genou de Claire'') by
Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...
*1972: ''
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie ''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' (french: Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie) is a 1972 surrealist film directed by Luis Buñuel from a screenplay co-written with Jean-Claude Carrière. The narrative concerns a group of bourgeois people ...
'' (''Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie'') by Luis Buñuel *1973: ''
Day for Night Day for night is a set of cinematic techniques used to simulate a night scene while filming in daylight. It is often employed when it is too difficult or expensive to actually shoot during nighttime. Because both film stocks and digital image s ...
'' (''La nuit américaine'') by
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
*1974: ''
Lacombe Lucien ''Lacombe, Lucien'' is a 1974 French war drama film by Louis Malle about a French teenage boy during the German occupation of France in World War II. Plot In June 1944, as the Allies are fighting the Germans in Normandy, Lucien Lacombe, a 17-y ...
'' by
Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both Cinema of France, French cinema and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a fi ...
*1975: ''
Let Joy Reign Supreme ''Que la fête commence...'' (English title ''Let Joy Reign Supreme'') is a 1975 French film directed by Bertrand Tavernier and starring Philippe Noiret. It is a historical drama set during the 18th century French Régence centring on the Breton P ...
'' (''Que la fête commence'') by
Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, s ...
*1976: '' The Story of Adele H.'' (''L'histoire de Adèle H.'') by
François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
*1977: ''
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
'' by Alain Resnais *1978: ''
Le dossier 51 ''Dossier 51'' (french: Le Dossier 51) is a 1978 French crime drama film directed by Michel Deville and based on a novel by Gilles Perrault. Deville and Perrault won a César Award for Best Writing for their adaptation. The film was screened in the ...
'' by Michel Deville *1979: '' Perceval le Gallois'' by
Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...


1980s

*1980: ''
My American Uncle ''Mon oncle d'Amérique'' (English: ''My American Uncle'' or ''My Uncle from America'') is a 1980 French film directed by Alain Resnais with a screenplay by Jean Gruault. The film juxtaposes a comedy-drama narrative with the ideas of Henri Labori ...
'' (''Mon oncle d'Amérique'') by Alain Resnais *1981: ''
Coup de Torchon ''Coup de Torchon'' (also known as ''Clean Slate'') is a 1981 French crime film directed by Bertrand Tavernier and adapted from Jim Thompson's 1964 novel '' Pop. 1280''. The film changes the novel's setting from an American Southern town to a sma ...
'' by
Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, s ...
and ''
Garde à Vue ''Garde à Vue'' (also known as ''The Inquisitor'') is a 1981 French psychological crime drama directed by Claude Miller and starring Romy Schneider, Michel Serrault, Lino Ventura and Guy Marchand. It is based on the 1979 British novel ''Brainwas ...
'' by
Claude Miller Claude Miller (20 February 1942 – 4 April 2012) was a French film director, producer and screenwriter. Life and career Claude Miller was born to a Jewish family. A student at Paris' IDHEC film school from 1962 through 1963, Miller had his fi ...
*1982: '' A Room in Town'' (''Une chambre en ville'') by
Jacques Demy Jacques Demy (; 5 June 1931 – 27 October 1990) was a French director, lyricist, and screenwriter. He appeared at the height of the French New Wave alongside contemporaries like Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. Demy's films are celebrat ...
*1983: ''
Pauline at the Beach ''Pauline at the Beach'' (french: Pauline à la plage) is a 1983 French romantic comedy film directed by Éric Rohmer. The film stars Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory and Féodor Atkine. It is the third in the 1980s series "Comed ...
'' (''Pauline à la plage'') by
Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...
*1984: ''
Full Moon in Paris ''Full Moon in Paris'' (french: Les nuits de la pleine lune, lit=Full Moon Nights) is a 1984 French romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Éric Rohmer. The film stars Pascale Ogier, Tchéky Karyo and Fabrice Luchini. The score is by ...
'' (''Les nuits de la pleine lune'') by
Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...
*1985: '' Death in a French Garden'' (''Péril en la demeure'') à by Michel Deville and ''
Sans toit ni loi ''Vagabond'' (french: Sans toit ni loi, "with neither shelter nor law") is a 1985 French drama film directed by Agnès Varda, featuring Sandrine Bonnaire. It tells the story of a young woman, a vagabond, who wanders through the Languedoc-Roussill ...
'' by
Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist. Her pioneering work was central to the development of the widely influential French New Wave film ...
*1986: '' Thérèse'' by Alain Cavalier *1987: '' Goodbye, Children'' (''Au revoir les enfants'') by
Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both Cinema of France, French cinema and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a fi ...
*1988: ''
The Little Thief ''The Little Thief'' (french: La Petite Voleuse) is a 1988 French drama directed by Claude Miller. It is based upon an unfinished script by François Truffaut. Truffaut died before being able to direct the film himself. The film had 1,834,940 admi ...
'' (''La petite voleuse'') by
Claude Miller Claude Miller (20 February 1942 – 4 April 2012) was a French film director, producer and screenwriter. Life and career Claude Miller was born to a Jewish family. A student at Paris' IDHEC film school from 1962 through 1963, Miller had his fi ...
*1989: '' Mr. Hire'' (''Monsieur Hire'') by
Patrice Leconte Patrice Leconte (; born 12 November 1947) is a French film director, actor, comic strip writer, and screenwriter. Life and career Leconte grew up in Tours, and began making little amateur films at 15. He went to Paris in 1967 and studied at Insti ...


1990s

*1990: ''
La Discrète ''La Discrète'' (The Discreet) is a 1990 French comedy-drama film directed by Christian Vincent. It won three César Awards: for Best First Feature Film, Best Writing and Best Female Newcomer. Set in Paris, it tells the story of an embittered o ...
'' by Christian Vincent *1991: '' The Beautiful Troublemake'' (''La belle noiseuse'') by Jacques Rivette *1992: '' A Heart in Winter'' (''Un cœur en hiver'') by Claude Sautet *1993: ''
Smoking/No Smoking ''Smoking/No Smoking'' is a 1993 French comedy film. It was directed by Alain Resnais and written by Agnès Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri, from the play '' Intimate Exchanges'' by Alan Ayckbourn. The film starred Pierre Arditi and Sabine Azéma. I ...
'' by Alain Resnais *1994: '' Three Colors: Red'' (''Trois couleurs: Rouge'') by Krzysztof Kieślowski *1995: ''
Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud ''Nelly and Mr. Arnaud'' (french: Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud) is a 1995 French film directed by Claude Sautet and starring Michel Serrault, Emmanuelle Béart and Jean-Hugues Anglade. It won the César Award for Best Director and Best Actor for Mich ...
'' (''Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud'') by Claude Sautet *1996: ''
Capitaine Conan ''Captain Conan'' (original title: ''Capitaine Conan'') is a 1996 French drama film directed by Bertrand Tavernier. It is based on the 1934 Prix Goncourt-winning novel ''Captain Conan'' (Fr. ''Capitaine Conan'') by Roger Vercel. Plot In the Fren ...
'' by
Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, s ...
*1997: ''
Same Old Song ''Same Old Song'' (french: On connaît la chanson) is a 1997 French comedy-drama film. It was directed by Alain Resnais, and written by Agnès Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri. Jaoui and Bacri also starred in the film with Sabine Azéma, Lambert Wilso ...
'' (''On connaît la chanson'') by Alain Resnais *1998: ''
The Dreamlife of Angels ''The Dreamlife of Angels'' (french: La Vie rêvée des anges) is a 1998 French drama film directed by Erick Zonca. The film was selected as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as ...
'' (''La vie rêvée des anges'') by
Erick Zonca Érick Zonca is a French film director and screenwriter. His first films were shorts ''Rives'' (1992), ''Eternelles'' (1995), and '' Seule'' (1997). Zonca is best known for his critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 feature film debut '' ...
*1999: ''
Sachs' Disease ''Sachs' Disease'' (original title: ''La Maladie de Sachs'') is a 1999 French drama film directed by Michel Deville from a novel by Martin Winckler. It won the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics Prix Méliès, and received César nominations for ...
'' (''La maladie de Sachs'') by Michel Deville


2000s

*2000: '' The Gleaners and I'' (''Les glaneurs et la glaneuse'') by
Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist. Her pioneering work was central to the development of the widely influential French New Wave film ...
*2001: '' Amélie'' (''Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain'') by
Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet (; born 3 September 1953) is a French film director, producer and screenwriter. His films combine fantasy, realism and science fiction to create idealized realities or to give relevance to mundane situations. Debuting as a di ...
*2002: ''
To Be and to Have ''To Be and To Have'' (french: Être et avoir; also the UK title) is a 2002 French documentary film directed by Nicolas Philibert about a small rural school. It was screened as an "Out of Competition" film at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and achi ...
'' (''Être et avoir'') by
Nicolas Philibert Nicolas Philibert (; born 10 January 1951) is a French film director and actor. Biography Philibert's father was a film lecturer and he attended his talks in his youth. This encouraged him to embark on a film career. He started this with René ...
*2003: La trilogie ''
Un couple épatant ''An Amazing Couple'' (french: Un couple épatant); also known as (''Trilogy: Two'') is a 2002 French-Belgian film written and directed by Lucas Belvaux. This is the first installment of a series ''Trilogy'', which constitutes a comedy followed ...
'', ''
Après la vie ''Après la vie'' (After the Life; also known in UK as Trilogy: Three) is a 2002 Lucas Belvaux film with his own script. It is the final installment of a series ''Trilogy'', which constitutes a melodrama preceded by ''Un couple épatant'', a come ...
'' and ''
Cavale ''On the Run'' (french: Cavale) also known as (''Trilogy: One'') is a 2003 film directed by, written by, and starring Lucas Belvaux. This is the second installment of the ''Trilogy'' series. It constitutes a Thriller (genre), thriller, and is p ...
'' by Lucas Belvaux *2004: ''
Kings and Queen ''Kings and Queen'' (french: Rois et reine) is a 2004 French drama film directed by Arnaud Desplechin, starring Emmanuelle Devos and Mathieu Amalric. The film had its world premiere in the Competition section at the 61st Venice International Film F ...
'' (''Rois et reine'') by Arnaud Desplechin *2005: '' The Beat That My Heart Skipped'' (''De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté'') by
Jacques Audiard Jacques Audiard (; born 30 April 1952) is a French film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is the son of Michel Audiard, also a film director and screenwriter. He has won both the César Award for Best Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Fi ...
*2006: ''
Private Fears in Public Places ''Private Fears in Public Places'' is a 2004 play by British playwright Alan Ayckbourn. The bleakest play written by Ayckbourn for many years, it intimately follows a few days in the lives of six characters, in four tightly-interwoven stories ...
'' (''Cœurs''), by Alain Resnais *2007: ''
The Secret of the Grain ''The Secret of the Grain'' (french: La graine et le mulet), titled ''Couscous'' in the UK, is a 2007 Franco-Tunisian drama film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. The film stars Habib Boufares as an aging immigrant from the Maghreb whose ambition to ...
'' (''La graine et le mulet'') by
Abdel Kechiche Abdellatif Kechiche (; ar, عبد اللطيف كشيش, born 7 December 1960) is a Tunisian-French actor, film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut in 2000 with '' La Faute à Voltaire'', which he also wrote. Known for his n ...
*2008: ''
The Beaches of Agnès ''The Beaches of Agnès'' (french: Les plages d'Agnès) is a 2008 French documentary film directed by Agnès Varda. The film is an autobiographical essay where Varda revisits places from her past, reminisces about life and celebrates her 80th bi ...
'' (''Les Plages d'Agnès'') by
Agnès Varda Agnès Varda (; born Arlette Varda; 30 May 1928 – 29 March 2019) was a Belgian-born French film director, screenwriter, photographer, and artist. Her pioneering work was central to the development of the widely influential French New Wave film ...
*2009: '' A Prophet'' by
Jacques Audiard Jacques Audiard (; born 30 April 1952) is a French film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is the son of Michel Audiard, also a film director and screenwriter. He has won both the César Award for Best Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Fi ...


2010s

*2010: '' Of Gods and Men'' by
Xavier Beauvois Xavier Beauvois (; born 20 March 1967) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. Career His film ''Don't Forget You're Going to Die'' was entered into the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Jury Prize. His film '' Of Gods an ...
*2011: ''
The Minister ''The Minister'' (french: L'Exercice de l'État) is a 2011 French-Belgian political drama film directed by Pierre Schöller. Plot French Transport Minister Bertrand Saint-Jean arrives at the scene of a serious bus crash with many fatalities. ...
'' by Pierre Schöller *2012: '' Amour'' by
Michael Haneke Michael Haneke (; born 23 March 1942) is an Austrian film director and screenwriter. His work often examines social issues and depicts the feelings of estrangement experienced by individuals in modern society. Haneke has made films in French, G ...
*2013: ''
Blue Is the Warmest Colour ''Blue Is the Warmest Colour'' (french: link=yes, La Vie d'Adèle – Chapitres 1 & 2; ) is a 2013 romance film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Abdellatif Kechiche and starring Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos. The film foll ...
'' by
Abdellatif Kechiche Abdellatif Kechiche (; ar, عبد اللطيف كشيش, born 7 December 1960) is a Tunisian- French actor, film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut in 2000 with '' La Faute à Voltaire'', which he also wrote. Known for his ...
*2014: ''
Timbuktu Timbuktu ( ; french: Tombouctou; Koyra Chiini: ); tmh, label=Tuareg, script=Tfng, ⵜⵏⴱⴾⵜ, Tin Buqt a city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. The town is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrativ ...
'' by Abderrahmane Sissako *2015: ''
Fatima Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...
'' by Phillipe Faucon *2016: '' Elle'' by
Paul Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch director, producer and screenwriter, active in the Netherlands, France and the United States. His blending of graphic violence and sexual content with social satire is a trademark of both his dram ...
*2017: 120 Beats per Minute by Robin Campillo *2018: Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno by Abdellatif Kechiche


Best Foreign Film


1960s

*1968: '' Blowup'' (Italy) by
Michelangelo Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...
*1969: '' Csillagosok, katonák'' (Hungary) by
Miklós Jancsó Miklós Jancsó (; 27 September 192131 January 2014) was a Hungarian film director and screenwriter. Jancsó achieved international prominence starting in the mid-1960s with works including '' The Round-Up'' (''Szegénylegények'', 1965), ''T ...


1970s

*1970: '' Rosemary's Baby'' (USA) by
Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański , group=lower-alpha, name=note_a (né Liebling; 18 August 1933) is a French-Polish film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two ...
*1971: ''
Andrey Rublyov Andrei Rublev ( rus, Андре́й Рублёв, p=ɐnˈdrʲej rʊˈblʲɵf , also transliterated as ''Andrey Rublyov'') was a Muscovite icon painter born in the 1360s who died between 1427 and 1430 in Moscow. He is considered to be one of the ...
'' (Soviet Union) by
Andrei Tarkovsky Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky ( rus, Андрей Арсеньевич Тарковский, p=ɐnˈdrʲej ɐrˈsʲenʲjɪvʲɪtɕ tɐrˈkofskʲɪj; 4 April 1932 – 29 December 1986) was a Russian filmmaker. Widely considered one of the greates ...
*1972: '' Death in Venice'' (Italy) by Luchino Visconti *1973: ''
Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: Places Australia * Roma, Queensland, a town ** Roma Airport ** Roma Courthouse ** Electoral district of Roma, defunct ** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council *Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...
'' (Italy) by
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...
*1974: '' Family Life'' (UK) by Ken Loach *1975: ''
Amarcord ''Amarcord'' () is a 1973 comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi-autobiographical tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the village of Borgo San Giuliano (situated near the ancien ...
'' (Italy) by
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...
*1976: '' Aguirre, the Wrath of God'' (West Germany) by
Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with un ...
*1977: '' Cría cuervos'' (Spain) by Carlos Saura *1978: ''
Dersu Uzala Dersu Uzala (russian: Дерсу Узала; 1849–1908) was a Nanai trapper and hunter. He worked as a guide for Vladimir Arsenyev who immortalized him in his 1923 book '' Dersu Uzala''. The book was adapted into two feature films, with the ve ...
'' (Soviet Union) by Akira Kurosawa *1979: ''
The Tree of Wooden Clogs ''The Tree of Wooden Clogs'' () is a 1978 Italian film written and directed by Ermanno Olmi. The film concerns Lombard peasant life in a '' cascina'' (farmhouse) of the late 19th century. It has some similarities with the earlier Italian neor ...
'' (Italy) by
Ermanno Olmi Ermanno Olmi (24 July 1931 – 7 May 2018)Lane, John Francis (May 7, 2018).Ermanno Olmi obituary. ''The Guardian''. theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 May 2018. was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Biography Olmi was born to a Catholic ...


1980s

*1980: Not awarded *1981: ''
The Elephant Man Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890), often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "the Elephant Man" and then wen ...
'' (USA) by
David Lynch David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...
*1982: ''
Christ Stopped at Eboli ''Christ Stopped at Eboli'' ( it, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli) is a memoir by Carlo Levi, published in 1945, giving an account of his exile from 1935-1936 to Grassano and Aliano, remote towns in southern Italy, in the region of Lucania which is ...
'' (Italy) by
Francesco Rosi Francesco Rosi (; 15 November 1922 – 10 January 2015) was an Italian film director. His film ''The Mattei Affair'' won the Palme d'Or at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival. Rosi's films, especially those of the 1960s and 1970s, often appeared to ha ...
*1983: ''
The Night of the Shooting Stars ''The Night of the Shooting Stars'' (UK: ''The Night of San Lorenzo'', it, La Notte di San Lorenzo) is a 1982 Italian fantasy war drama film directed by Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani. It was written by Giuliani G. De Negri, Paolo Taviani, Ton ...
'' (Italy) by
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Paolo Taviani (; born 8 November 1931) and Vittorio Taviani (; 20 September 1929 – 15 April 2018), collectively referred to as the Taviani brothers, were Italian film directors and screenwriters who collaborated on film productions. At the C ...
and ''
Yol ''Yol'' (; translated as ''The Way'', ''The Road'' or ''The Path'') is a 1982 Turkish film directed by Şerif Gören and Yılmaz Güney. The screenplay was written by Yılmaz Güney, and it was directed by his assistant Şerif Gören, as Güne ...
'' (Turkey) by Yılmaz Güney and
Serif Gören In typography, a serif () is a small line or stroke regularly attached to the end of a larger stroke in a letter or symbol within a particular font or family of fonts. A typeface or "font family" making use of serifs is called a serif typeface ...
*1984: ''
Fanny and Alexander ''Fanny and Alexander'' ( sv, Fanny och Alexander) is a 1982 period drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. The plot focuses on two siblings and their large family in Uppsala, Sweden during the first decade of the twentieth century. ...
'' (Sweden) by
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known ...
*1985: '' Paris, Texas'' (West Germany) by
Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer. He is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among many honors, he has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Docum ...
*1986: '' The Purple Rose of Cairo'' (USA) by
Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
*1987: ''
Hannah and Her Sisters ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' is a 1986 American comedy-drama film which tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begins and ends with a family Thanksgiving dinner. The film was written and directed by Woody Allen, who ...
'' (USA) by
Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
*1988: ''
Wings of Desire ''Wings of Desire'' (, ; ) is a 1987 romantic fantasy film written by Wim Wenders, Peter Handke and Richard Reitinger, and directed by Wenders. The film is about invisible, immortal angels who populate Berlin and listen to the thoughts of its hu ...
'' (West Germany) by
Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer. He is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among many honors, he has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Docum ...
*1989: ''
The Dead The Dead may refer to: * The dead, those who have experienced death Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''The Dead'' (Higson novel), 2010 novel by Charlie Higson * ''The Dead'' (Kracht novel), 2016 novel by Christian Kracht * "The Dead ...
'' (USA) by
John Huston John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...
and ''
Bagdad Café ''Bagdad Cafe'' (sometimes ''Bagdad Café'', titled ''Out of Rosenheim'' in Germany) is a 1987 English-language West German film directed by Percy Adlon. It is a comedy-drama set in a remote truck stop and motel in the Mojave Desert in the U.S. st ...
'' (West Germany) by Percy Adlon


1990s

*1990: ''
A Short Film About Killing ''A Short Film About Killing'' ( pl, Krótki film o zabijaniu) is a 1988 drama film directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and starring Mirosław Baka, Krzysztof Globisz, and Jan Tesarz. Written by Krzysztof Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz, the fil ...
'' (Poland) by Krzysztof Kieślowski *1991: ''
Dekalog ''Dekalog'' (, also known as ''Dekalog: The Ten Commandments'' and ''The Decalogue'') is a 1988 Polish drama television miniseries directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and co-written by Kieślowski with Krzysztof Piesiewicz, with music by Zbigniew P ...
'' (Poland) by Krzysztof Kieślowski *1992: ''
The Double Life of Véronique ''The Double Life of Veronique'' (french: La double vie de Véronique, pl, Podwójne życie Weroniki) is a 1991 drama film directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and starring Irène Jacob. Written by Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz, the film expl ...
'' (Poland) by Krzysztof Kieślowski *1993: ''
Man Bites Dog The phrase man bites dog is a shortened version of an aphorism in journalism that describes how an unusual, infrequent event (such as a man biting a dog) is more likely to be reported as news than an ordinary, everyday occurrence with similar cons ...
'' (Belgium) by
Rémy Belvaux Rémy Nicolas Lucien Belvaux Caroline Hanotte''Rémy Belvaux'' CinéArtistes.com, Septembre 8, 2006. Retrieved on 11 September 2006. (10 November 1966 – 4 September 2006) was a Belgian actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He was the broth ...
, André Bonzel and
Benoît Poelvoorde Benoît Poelvoorde (, ; born 22 September 1964) is a Belgian actor and comedian. Early life His mother was a grocer and his father a driver, who died when Poelvoorde was still a minor. He attended the Jesuit Boarding School of Godinne before ...
and '' The Story of Qiu Ju'' (China) by
Zhang Yimou Zhang Yimou (; born 2 April 1950) is a Chinese film director, producer, writer, actor and former cinematographer.Tasker, Yvonne (2002). "Zhang Yimou" i''Fifty Contemporary Filmmakers'' Routledge Publishing, p. 412. . Google Book Search. Retriev ...
*1994: ''
Raining Stones ''Raining Stones'' is a 1993 film directed by Ken Loach and starring Bruce Jones, Julie Brown, Ricky Tomlinson, Tom Hickey and Gemma Phoenix. It tells the story of a man who cannot afford to buy his daughter a First Communion dress, and make ...
'' (UK) by Ken Loach *1995: '' Exotica'' (Canada) by
Atom Egoyan Atom Egoyan (; hy, Աթոմ Եղոյեան, translit=Atom Yeghoyan; born July 19, 1960) is a Canadian filmmaker. He was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge in the 1980s from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave. Egoyan m ...
*1996: '' Land and Freedom'' (UK) by Ken Loach and ''
Ulysses' Gaze ''Ulysses' Gaze'' (, translit. ''To Vlemma tou Odyssea'') is a 1995 Greek film directed by Theo Angelopoulos and starring Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern, and Erland Josephson. The film was selected as the Greek entry for the Best Foreign Lan ...
'' (Greece) by
Theodoros Angelopoulos Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (; ; 27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on, and Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely re ...
*1997: '' Secrets & Lies'' (UK) by
Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and further at the Camberwell School of Art, the Central School of Art and Design ...
*1998: ''
Hana-bi , released in the United States as ''Fireworks'', is a 1997 Japanese crime drama film written, directed and edited by Takeshi Kitano, who also stars in it. The film's score was composed by Joe Hisaishi in his fourth collaboration with Kitano. is ...
'' (Japan) by Takeshi Kitano *1999: '' Life Is Beautiful'' (Italy) by Roberto Benigni


2000s

*2000: ''
Eyes Wide Shut ''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's sett ...
'' (UK/USA) by
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
*2001: ''
Yi Yi ''Yi Yi'' () is a 2000 Taiwanese drama film written and directed by Edward Yang centering around the struggles of an engineer named NJ (played by Wu Nien-jen) and three generations of his middle-class Taiwanese family in Taipei. The title in C ...
'' (Taiwan) by
Edward Yang Edward Yang (; November 6, 1947 – June 29, 2007) was a Taiwanese filmmaker. Yang, along with fellow auteurs Hou Hsiao-hsien and Tsai Ming-liang, was one of the leading film-makers of the Taiwanese New Wave and Taiwanese cinema. He won the Be ...
*2002: ''
No Man's Land No man's land is waste or unowned land or an uninhabited or desolate area that may be under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied out of fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dump ...
'' (Bosnia-Herzegovina) by Danis Tanović *2003: ''
Talk to Her ''Talk to Her'' ( es, Hable con ella) is a 2002 Spanish drama written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, and starring Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Leonor Watling, Geraldine Chaplin, and Rosario Flores. The film follows two men who form an u ...
'' (Spain) by
Pedro Almodóvar Pedro Almodóvar Caballero (; (often known simply as Almodóvar) born 25 September 1949) is a Spanish filmmaker. His films are marked by melodrama, irreverent humour, bold colour, glossy décor, quotations from popular culture, and complex narr ...
*2004: ''
Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae an ...
'' (USA) by
Gus Van Sant Gus Green Van Sant Jr. (born July 24, 1952) is an American film director, producer, photographer, and musician. He has earned acclaim as both an independent and mainstream filmmaker. His films typically deal with themes of marginalized subcultur ...
*2005: '' Lost in Translation'' (USA) by Sofia Coppola *2006: '' A History of Violence'' (USA) by
David Cronenberg David Paul Cronenberg (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation ...
*2007: '' Volver'' (Spain) by
Pedro Almodóvar Pedro Almodóvar Caballero (; (often known simply as Almodóvar) born 25 September 1949) is a Spanish filmmaker. His films are marked by melodrama, irreverent humour, bold colour, glossy décor, quotations from popular culture, and complex narr ...
*2008: ''
The Lives of Others ''The Lives of Others'' (german: link=no, Das Leben der Anderen, ) is a 2006 German drama film written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck marking his feature film directorial debut. The plot is about the monitoring of East Berlin ...
'' (Germany) by
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Florian Maria Georg Christian Graf Henckel von Donnersmarck (; born 2 May 1973) is an Academy Award-winning German and Austrian film director. He is best known for writing and directing the 2006 dramatic thriller ''Das Leben der Anderen (The L ...
*2009: '' There Will Be Blood'' (USA) by
Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. He made his feature-film debut with ''Hard Eight (film), Hard Eight'' (1996). He found critical and commercial success with ''Boogie Nights'' ( ...


2010s

*2010: ''
The White Ribbon ''The White Ribbon'' (german: Das weiße Band) is a 2009 German-language drama film, written and directed by Michael Haneke. Released in black-and-white, the film offers a dark depiction of society and family in a northern German village just be ...
'' (Austria) by
Michael Haneke Michael Haneke (; born 23 March 1942) is an Austrian film director and screenwriter. His work often examines social issues and depicts the feelings of estrangement experienced by individuals in modern society. Haneke has made films in French, G ...
*2011: '' Another Year'' (UK) by
Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and further at the Camberwell School of Art, the Central School of Art and Design ...
*2012: ''
Melancholia Melancholia or melancholy (from el, µέλαινα χολή ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly dep ...
'' (Denmark) by
Lars von Trier Lars von Trier (''né'' Trier; 30 April 1956) is a Danish filmmaker, actor, and lyricist. Having garnered a reputation as a highly ambitious, polarizing filmmaker, he has been the subject of several controversies: Cannes, in addition to nominat ...
*2013: ''
A Touch of Sin ''A Touch of Sin'' () is a 2013 Chinese anthology film written and directed by Jia Zhangke and starring Jiang Wu, Wang Baoqiang, Luo Lanshan, and Zhao Tao, Jia's wife and longtime collaborator. The film consists of four loosely interconnected ...
'' (China) by Jia Zhangke *2014: '' Winter Sleep'' (Turkey) by
Nuri Bilge Ceylan Nuri Bilge Ceylan (, born 26 January 1959) is a Turkish photographer, filmmaker and actor best known for the Palme d'Or winning ''Winter Sleep (film), Winter Sleep'' (2014). Early life Ceylan was born in Istanbul on 26 January 1959. His interes ...
*2015: ''
Son of Saul ''Son of Saul'' ( hu, Saul fia) is a 2015 Hungarian historical drama film directed by László Nemes, in his feature directorial debut, and co-written by Nemes and Clara Royer. It is set in the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II, a ...
'' (Hungary) by
László Nemes László Nemes (born Nemes Jeles László; ; 18 February 1977) is a Hungarian film director and screenwriter. His 2015 debut feature film, ''Son of Saul,'' was screened in the main competition at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the ...
*2016: ''
Aquarius Aquarius may refer to: Astrology * Aquarius (astrology), an astrological sign * Age of Aquarius, a time period in the cycle of astrological ages Astronomy * Aquarius (constellation) * Aquarius in Chinese astronomy Arts and entertainment ...
'' (Brazil) by Kleber Mendonça Filho


Best First French Film


2000s

*2001: '' Ressources humaines'' by Laurent Cantet *2002: '' De l'histoire ancienne'' by
Orso Miret oRSo is a US-based band formed in 1996 and led by Phil Spirito of Rex, HiM (US), Loftus, and Califone featuring Brian Deck of Red Red Meat and Ben Massarella of Califone. The musical style is self-described a"carny rock, chamber folk or just orc ...
*2003: ''
Se souvenir des belles choses ''Beautiful Memories'' (french: Se souvenir des belles choses) is a 2001 French film directed by Zabou Breitman. It won the César Awards for Best First Feature Film, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, and was nominated for Best Actor. Al ...
'' by
Zabou Breitman Zabou Breitman (born Isabelle Breitman; 30 October 1959), or simply Zabou, is a French actress and director. She is the daughter of actors Jean-Claude Deret and Céline Léger. At the age of four, she appeared in her first movie. Since 1981, Za ...
*2004: ''
Since Otar Left ''Since Otar Left'' (original French title: ''Depuis qu'Otar est parti...'') is a 2003 film by director Julie Bertuccelli, recounting the lives of three Georgian women in modern-day Tbilisi. It focuses on the attempts of a mother and daughter, M ...
'' by
Julie Bertucelli Julie may refer to: * Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name Film and television * ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day * ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhava ...
*2005: '' Brodeuses'' by Éléonore Faucher *2006: '' Little Jerusalem'' by
Karin Albou Karin Albou is a French-Algerian female director, writer, editor, producer and actress. Early life Karin Albou was born on March 12, 1968 in Neuilly-sur-Seine to Jewish Algerian immigrant parents. Her mother was only 16 when she was born. In 1 ...
*2007: ''
Le Pressentiment ''Premonition'' (french: Le Pressentiment) is a 2006 French drama film directed by and starring Jean-Pierre Darroussin, and based on the novel ''Le Pressentiment'' by Emmanuel Bove. It won the Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film in 2006 and the ...
'' by
Jean-Pierre Darroussin Jean-Pierre Darroussin (born 4 December 1953) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was born in Courbevoie, France. Theater Filmography Actor *1992: '' Riens du tout'' (directed by Cédric Klapisch starring Fabrice Luchini, Daniel Berlioux) ...
*2008: '' Persepolis'' by Marjane Satrapi and
Vincent Paronnaud Vincent Paronnaud (born 20 February 1970), a.k.a. Winshluss, is a French comics artist and filmmaker. Biography Paronnaud was born in La Rochelle. He is French comic book writer and artist. His works comprise one shots: ''Super negra'' (1999) ...
*2009: ''
Adieu Gary ''Adieu Gary'' (also known as ''Goodbye Gary Cooper'') is a 2009 French film directed by Nassim Amaouche. This is the first feature-film director who was brought over to the International Week of criticism at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and was a ...
'' by
Nassim Amaouche Nassim ( ar, نسیم) also transliterated as Nacim, Naseem, Nasseem, Nasim, Nesim or Nessim, is a unisex Arabic name. It is mostly used in Middle Eastern and South Asian cultures and language groups. It may refer to: Company * Nasim Sdn Bhd, a ...


2010s

*2010: ''
Belle Épine ''Dear Prudence'' (french: Belle Épine; ) is a 2010 French drama film and the directorial debut of Rebecca Zlotowski. The film stars Léa Seydoux, Anaïs Demoustier, Agathe Schlenker, Johan Libéreau and Guillaume Gouix. It premiered in the Inter ...
'' by
Rebecca Zlotowski Rebecca Zlotowski (born 21 April 1980) is a French film director and screenwriter. Education A former student at prestigious Ecole Normale Supérieure, Rebecca Zlotowski received her teaching qualification in French modern literature in 2003. ...
*2011: ''
Angel & Tony ''Angel & Tony'' (french: Angèle et Tony) is a 2010 French drama film directed by Alix Delaporte. It tells the story of a young widow in a desperate situation who not only wins the respect of her employer, his family and his community but also r ...
'' by Alix Delaporte *2012: ''
Louise Wimmer ''Louise Wimmer'' is a 2011 French drama film directed by Cyril Mennegun. Plot Louise Wimmer barely scrapes a living and has to resort to living in her constantly malfunctioning car. Eventually an efficient social security officer jump starts her ...
'' by
Cyril Mennegun Cyril Mennegun (born 26 March 1975) is a French film director and screenwriter. His film ''Louise Wimmer'' received the César Award for Best First Feature Film in 2013. Filmography References External links

* 1975 births Living peo ...
*2013: ''
Me, Myself and Mum ''Me, Myself and Mum'' (french: Les Garçons et Guillaume, à table !) is a 2013 French autobiographical coming-of-age comedy film written, directed by and starring Guillaume Gallienne. Based on his stage show of the same name, it follows Guill ...
'' by
Guillaume Gallienne Guillaume Gallienne (born 8 February 1972) is a French actor, screenwriter and film director. He has received two Molière Awards for his stagework and has won two César Awards, one for writing and the other for his performance in his autobiogra ...
*2014: ''
Love at First Fight ''Love At First Fight'' () is a 2007 Chinese martial arts and romantic comedy television series, starring Hong Kong actress singer Miriam Yeung, Taiwanese actor singer Wallace Huo, American-born-Taiwanese actor George Hu, Chinese actress Alina ...
'' by Thomas Cailley *2015: ''
The Wakhan Front ''The Wakhan Front'' (french: Ni le ciel ni la terre) is a 2015 French war thriller drama film directed by Clément Cogitore. It was screened in the International Critics' Week section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Cast * Jérémie Renier a ...
'' by Clément Cogitore *2016: ''
Dark Inclusion ''Dark Inclusion'' (french: Diamant noir; also known as ''Dark Diamond'') is a 2016 drama film directed by Arthur Harari and starring Niels Schneider and August Diehl. It tells the story of an aimless young man who decides he must avenge the wron ...
'' by
Arthur Harari Arthur Harari (born 1981 in Paris) is a French film director, screenwriter and actor. He made his directorial debut in 2016 with the crime drama '' Dark Inclusion'', which he followed up in 2021 with the adventure drama '' Onoda: 10,000 Nights i ...


Best First Foreign Film

*2014: ''
Harmony Lessons ''Harmony Lessons'' ( kk, Асланның сабақтары, ''Aslannyń sabaqtary''; russian: Уроки гармонии) is a 2013 Kazakh-German drama film directed by Emir Baigazin. It was awarded a Silver Bear for outstanding artistic con ...
'' (Kazakhstan & Germany) by Emir Baigazin *2015: '' Titli'' (India) by
Kanu Behl Kanu Behl (born 1980) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He assisted director Dibaker Banerjee on the cult hit ''Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!'' and co-wrote ''LSD: Love Sex aur Dhokha''. His dire ...
*2016: ''
Dogs The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
'' (Romania) by
Bogdan Mirică Bogdan or Bohdan (Cyrillic: Богдан) is a Slavic names, Slavic masculine name that appears in all Slavs, Slavic countries as well as Romania and Moldova. It is derived from the Slavic languages, Slavic words '':wiktionary:Appendix:Proto-Slav ...


Best Short Film

* 1984 : ''Coup de feu'' by
Magali Clément Magali Clément was a French director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Di ...
* 1999 : ''
Les Aveugles ''The Blind'' (french: Les aveugles), also known as ''The Sightless'', is a play that was written in 1890 by the Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck. Information It is an intense one-act play, which was one of the pieces mentioned in a list ...
'' by Jean-Luc Perréard * 2000 : '' Ressources humaines'' by Laurent Cantet * 2001 : '' Soufflé'' by
Delphine Coulin Delphine and Muriel Coulin are French sisters who form a directing duo. They are best known for their film ''17 Girls''. Early career Muriel Coulin began work as a cinematographer and camera assistant throughout the 1990s. Delphine is also a nove ...
* 2002 : '' Intimisto'' by
Licia Eminenti Licia is an Italian feminine given name, and may refer to: * Licia Albanese (1909–2014), Italian soprano * Licia Colò (born 1962), Italian journalist * Licia Maglietta (born 1954), Italian actress *Licia Ronzulli (born 1975), Italian medical ...
* 2003 : ''
Nosferatu Tango ''Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror'' (German: ''Nosferatu – Eine Symphonie des Grauens'') is a 1922 silent German Expressionist horror film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire who preys on the wife (Gr ...
'' by Zoltán Horváth * 2004 : '' Anna, 3 kilos 2'' by
Laurette Polmanss Laurette may refer to: *Laurette (given name) *Laurette (play), 1960 American play based on the life of Laurette Taylor and starring Judy Holliday *Laurette, Illinois *Buckskin Joe, Park County, Colorado, a ghost town originally called Laurette *Mat ...
* 2005 : '' Sous mon lit'' by
Jihane Chouaib Jihan or jihane Jihan * Jihan Malla, Lebanese television personality and voice actress * Jihan El-Tahri Jihan El-Tahri ( ar, ﺟﻬﺎﻥ ﺍلطاهري; born in Beirut, Lebanon) is a writer, director and producer of documentary films. She is a ...
* 2006 : '' Stricteternum'' by
Julien Legrand Julien may refer to: People * Julien (given name) * Julien (surname) Music * ''Julien'' (opera), a 1913 poème lyrique by Gustave Charpentier * ''Julien'' (album), by Dalida, 1973 * "Julien" (song), by Carly Rae Jepsen, 2019 Places Un ...


External links


French Syndicate of Cinema Critics
at
IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...


Official Website {{Authority control French film awards Awards established in 1946 1946 establishments in France Film critics associations Film organizations in France Non-profit organizations based in France