Lumiere Awards: ‘Timbuktu’ Wins Best Film, Director Honors

With the international spotlight shining on Timbuktu, the movie took home the best film prize at the Lumiere Awards, France’s Golden Globes, on Monday night.

Director Abderrahmane Sissako also received the best director award for the Oscar-nominated film.

Gaspard Ulliel won the best actor nod for his portrayal of legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in Bertrand Bonello’s Cannes entry, beating out Pierre Niney, who played the same role in Jalil Lespert’s competing biopic.

The best actress prize went to Karin Viard, recognizing both her role as a deaf mother coming to terms with her hearing daughter’s move to the big city in the holiday hit The Belier Family, and as a middle-aged woman seeking a second chance at love in Solveig Anspach’s Lulu in the Nude.

She beat out favorites Juliette Binoche for her work as an aging actress in Clouds of Sils Maria, which won the prestigious Louis Delluc critics’ prize in December, and Charlotte Gainsbourg for Three Hearts.

Former The Voice contestant Louane Emera received the best new actress prize for her work as Viard’s hearing daughter in The Belier Family.

The best new actor prize went to Kevin Azais for the Cannes Director’s Fortnight favorite Love at First Fight, and director Thomas Cailley took home the best first film prize as well.

Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne won for the best French film from outside of France for their Two Days, One Night, which earned Marion Cotillard a best actress Oscar nomination.

The academy gave a special prize to honor director Celine Sciamma for her critically acclaimed Girlhood, which had been nominated in the best film, director and actress categories but failed to take a prize in regular voting.

Here’s the list of winners:

Best Film
Timbuktu by Abderrahmane Sissako 

Best Director
Abderrahmane Sissako for Timbuktu 

Best Screenplay
Philippe Chauveron and Guy Lawrence for Serial (Bad) Weddings

Best Actress
Karin Viard in The Belier Family and Lulu in the Nude

Best Actor 
Gaspard Ulliel in Saint Laurent

Best Female Revelation (New Actress)
Louane Emera in The Belier Family

Best Male Revelation (New Actor)
Kevin Azais in Love at First Fight

Best First Film
Love at First Fight by Thomas Cailley 

Best French Film from Outside of France
Two days, One Night by Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Special Award Granted by the Academy
Girlhood by Celine Sciamma 

Best Cinematography
Remy Chevrin for To Life by Jean-Jacques Zilbermann