Césars 2022: Goyas, Baftas, Oscars ... what are the favorite films, or already awarded, abroad?

It is not only in France that national films released the previous year are rewarded with the Césars: from January to the end of March, it is the season for awarding cinema prizes in several countries, ceremonies which can be held in 2022 more or less normally, after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For the current year, for some, like in Belgium, it's a film that has won everything, while for others, the votes are more balanced.

All while waiting for the Oscars, on March 27, whose future results remain uncertain…

Javier Bardem, king of the Goyas

French moviegoers will have to wait until June 22 to see in theaters "El Buen Patron", which dominated the evening of the Spanish Goyas on February 13.

This comedy won six statuettes, including three (best film, direction and screenplay) for its director Fernando Leon De Aranoa, also director of “Escobar”.

Imperial on stage, Javier Bardem, awarded the Goya for best actor for his interpretation of the hero of the film, dedicated his prize to his wife, Penélope Cruz, who is in the running for the next Oscars for her role in "Madres Paralelas" by Pedro Almodóvar.

The Goyas have divided the rest of their prizes between “The Laws of the Border” (visible here on Netflix), “Maixabel” and “Mediterraneo”, which will be released soon in France.

The mad night of the Magrittes

Two Belgian films were in direct competition this year at the Magritte ceremony on February 12: the formidable "Les Intranquilles" by Joachim Lafosse, released in Belgium last September and which earned a César nomination as best actress for Leïla Bekhti, and the exceptional “Une vie démente” by Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni, in French cinemas in November 2021. It was the latter who took over the evening with seven awards, including those for best film, best actor and for the best actress for the extraordinary performance of Jo Deseure as a sixty-year-old struck by Alzheimer's disease which falls back into childhood.

But another film, also popular in France and still in theaters since January 21, "Un Monde" by Laura Wandel, stood out: best first film, best director, while these two young actors won the Magritte for the best hopes.

A victorious dog at the Golden Globes

Formerly an antechamber of the Oscars, of which it announced the majority of the awards to come, the Golden Globes ceremony, organized by the association of foreign journalists in Hollywood, has this year been shunned by professionals of American cinema, because it is accused of not promote diversity within it.

The evening of January 9, however, did shine “The Power of the Dog” by Jane Campion, at the top of the Oscar nominations, and winner in particular in the categories “Best dramatic film” and “Best director”.

The Japanese "Drive my Car" won the Golden Globes for best foreign film, and on the side of the actors,

France well placed at the Bafta

If “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve tops the Bafta nominations, closely followed by “Belfast” by Kenneth Branagh, the British cinema ceremony to be held on March 13 highlights several French people, following Florian Zeller who there shone last year with "The Father".

In the “Best Director” category, Julia Ducournau for “Titanium”, Palme d'Or at Cannes, and Audrey Diwan for “L'Événement”, Golden Lion at Venice, are thus nominated.

Céline Sciamma is in the running in the "Best Foreign Film" category for "Petite Maman", while Alexandre Desplat and Bruno Delbonnel compete respectively in the "Best Music" (for "The French Dispatch") and Best Cinematography categories. (for “The Tragedy of Macbeth”).

Very open Oscars

At the top of the nominations for the Hollywood ceremony on March 27, "The Power of the dog" (Netflix) competes head-on with "Don't Look Up" (Netflix) and "Being the Ricardos" (Amazon Prime Video)... Three films produced by streaming platforms, therefore, which should share the most prestigious statuettes.

But beware of the outsiders in ambush: Paul Thomas Anderson for his production of "Licorice Pizza", Kristen Stewart for her interpretation of Princess Diana in "Spencer", Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds for their supporting roles in "Belfast" by Kenneth Branagh, which can also win the Oscars for best picture and best director.

"West Side Story" by Steven Spielberg, "Licorice Pizza", "The Williams Method", "Drive my Car" or "Nightmare Alley" are also in the running for the Oscar for best film.