She is the only woman in French cinema to have won six Césars.
“One as an actress, another as a director and then four as a screenwriter,” recalled Jamel Debbouze on the Olympia stage this Friday, February 23.
The comedian was responsible for presenting Agnès Jaoui with the honorary César of this 49th ceremony, awarded for her entire career.
The one who starred in the film she directed,
Talk to me about the rain
, released in 2008, with Jean-Pierre Bacri, gave a moving speech to pay tribute to this “woman he admires so much”.
“I don’t know who’s going to be more moved… Her receiving it, or me handing it to her,” he said.
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Jamel Debbouze then recalled his first meeting with Agnès Jaoui, at her home, in her apartment in Paris, when she was still living with Jean-Pierre Bacri.
The latter had warned him: “You will see, Agnès at first glance she is a little distant, but after 4-5 years she will adore you.
It was true.
Agnès Jaoui is not won easily, but when she loves you, it’s for life,” breathed Mélissa Theuriau’s husband.
And to continue: “I have admiration for his career.
She does everything, she sings, she dances, she directs and she even plays the ukulele.
The comedian underlined the modesty of the filmmaker, that of the seven Caesars today, who hides them in a small chest of drawers in her apartment.
“At home, there is no ostentatious sign, no sign of success.”
What class.
Fight against inequalities
Obviously, Jamel Debbouze also underlined the commitment against all violence and inequalities of the actress and director.
“I have always seen Agnès Jaoui stubbornly trying to defend the weakest, trying to shake off condescension and ordinary racism.
Thank you Agnès, my parents experienced it so much.”
And to say, even further: “Agnès Jaoui raised me in the literal sense of the term.
I gained height alongside him.
I was much smaller than that.
I was a meter before meeting her.”
A powerful speech delivered in front of the main interested party who could not hide her great emotion.
With tears in her eyes, the latter then approached the stage, thanking the audience, Jamel, Jean-Pierre Bacri - who died in 2021 - before laughingly pulling out her famous... ukulele.