‘Blue Is The Warmest Color’ Wins Big At Gaul’s Lumiere Awards
PARIS– Abdellatif Kechiche’s romance drama “Blue Is The Warmest Color” snatched up top kudos at France’s Lumiere Awards, at a gala ceremony hosted on Monday in Paris.
The Palme d’Or-winning film – sold by Wild Bunch — won best film, director, actress (Lea Seydoux) and female newcomer (Adele Exarchopoulos).
The Lumiere gave Seydoux an actress nod for her performances in both Rebecca Zlotowski’s Un Certain Regard-screening “Grand Central” and “Blue.”
“Blue” beat out “Grand Central,” Michel Gondry’s “Mood Indigo,” Bertrand Tavernier’s “Quai d’Orsay,” Albert Dupontel’s “9 Month Stretch” and Gilles Bourdos’ “Renoir,” which competed for a best film nod.
Released in the U.S. by Sundance Selects, “Blue” competed in the foreign-language category at the Golden Globes and lost to Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grande Bellezza.”
“Grand Central,” a romance drama set against the backdrop of a nuclear plant in France, won the Jury prize. Pic marks Zlotowski’s follow-up to “Belle Epine,” her debut featured that played at Cannes’ Critics’ Week.
Nicknamed the French Golden Globes, the Lumiere awards are voted on by France-based journalists working for foreign press titles.
Guillaume Gallienne’s “Me, Myself and Mum” is the other big winner of the Lumiere Awards. Pic, which previously nabbed two prizes at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, earned its director/star a best actor nod and best first film award. Co-produced, sold and distributed by Gaumont, “Mum” has been a B.O. hit in France, opening on Nov. 20 and grossing over 13.6 million Euros in 2013 (still counting). It’s sold to most territories apart from the U.S. and the U.K..
Raphael Personnaz won best male newcomer for his perf in the political satire “Quai d’Orsay,” based on a graphic novel.
Roman Polanski and David Ives won best adapted screenplay for “Venus in Fur.” Meanwhile, Nabil Ayouch’s “Horses of God” won best French-language foreign film.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s lush 3D adventure tale, “The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet” won best cinematography.
The next steps in France’s kudos season are the Prix Toscan du Plantier for the year’s best producer and the Cesar Awards, whose nominations will be unveiled on Jan. 31.
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