The 51st Cesar Awards, often regarded as France’s equivalent to the Oscars, is poised to celebrate French cinematic achievements, with Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” emerging as the frontrunner, securing an impressive 10 nominations. This black-and-white cinematic homage, which previously garnered a slew of prizes at the Lumiere Awards and premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, is a love letter to the French New Wave movement, specifically echoing Jean-Luc Godard’s iconic 1960 film “Breathless.” Set against the backdrop of 1960s Paris, the film earned nominations for best film, director, original screenplay, cinematography, male newcomer (for Jean-Luc Godard-lookalike Guillaume Marbeck), editing, sound, original score, and costume design. Despite being acquired by Netflix at Cannes and shortlisted for France’s Oscar submission, “Nouvelle Vague” was ultimately passed over in favor of Jafar Panahi’s politically charged “It Was Just an Accident.”

Several other films have also garnered significant recognition, each receiving eight nominations. These include Carine Tardieu’s intimate drama “L’attachement,” which premiered at Venice in 2024 and features performances by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Pio Marmaï. Dominik Moll’s procedural “Case 137,” a film set amidst France’s yellow vests protests, also stands out. Rounding out this trio is Stéphane Demoustier’s historical drama “The Great Arch,” starring Claes Bang in the role of real-life Danish architect Otto von Spreckelsen, who spearheaded a significant Parisian architectural project following a competition launched by François Mitterrand in 1982. Bang is also nominated for Best Actor for this role.

Following closely with seven nominations is Hafsia Herzi’s queer coming-of-age story “The Little Sister,” a film that has already earned Nadia Melliti a best actress award at Cannes and received the Louis Delluc Prize from French critics. Thierry Kliffa’s “The Richest Woman in the World,” loosely based on the 2010 Bettencourt Affair and starring the distinguished Isabelle Huppert, secured six nominations. Huppert herself is a strong contender for Best Actress for her vivid performance in the film. Additionally, Ugo Bienvenu’s poetic animated feature “Arco,” produced by Natalie Portman, received four nominations, a tally matched by Francois Ozon’s “The Stranger,” an adaptation of Albert Camus’ classic novel.

The Best Film category features a strong lineup including “L’attachement,” “Case 137,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “The Little Sister,” and “It Was Just an Accident.” Notably, “It Was Just an Accident,” despite being shot in Persian, is eligible for Best Film due to its French production, following a precedent set by previous non-French-language nominees like “Mustang” and “The Pianist.” The Best Director category highlights diversity with two female helmers, Carine Tardieu and Hafsia Herzi, competing alongside Linklater, Demoustier, and Moll. The Best Actress race is fiercely competitive, with Huppert facing off against Leïla Bekhti (“Ma Mère, Dieu et Sylvie Vartan”), Léa Drucker (“Case 137”), Valeria Bruni Tedeschi (“L’attachement”), and Mélanie Thierry (“La Chambre de Mariana”). For Best Actor, Claes Bang is joined by Bastien Bouillon (“Leave One Day”), Laurent Lafitte (“The Richest Woman in the World”), Pio Marmaï (“L’attachement”), and Benjamin Voisin (“The Stranger”). “The Great Arch” also secured three supporting actor nominations for Swann Arlaud, Michel Fau, and Xavier Dolan. Other notable nominations include “Nino” for best first film, Best Male Newcomer (Théodore Pellerin), and Best Supporting Actress (Jeanne Balibar).

The Best International Film category presents a formidable global selection, featuring Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” Oliver Laxe’s “Sirat,” Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent,” and Guan Hu’s “Black Dog.” Most of the leading contenders for this year’s Cesar Awards, with the exceptions of “L’attachement” and “The Stranger,” made their world premieres at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

The 51st Cesar Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 26 at the Olympia theater in Paris. French star Camille Cottin, known for “Call My Agent,” will host the event. A special moment will be the presentation of the honorary Cesar Award to Jim Carrey, who succeeds Julia Roberts in receiving this esteemed recognition.