The Oscar-nominated “Timbuktu” has been named the year’s best French film at the Cesar Awards, France’s version of the Oscars.
But “Twilight” actress Kristen Stewart made history at the same ceremony, becoming the first American actress to ever win a Cesar. She took the supporting actress award for her role in Olivier Assayas‘ “Clouds of Sils Maria.”
“Timbuktu,” a French-Mauritanian co-production that is the latter country’s entry in the Oscar foreign language race, was directed by Abderrahmane Sissako, and deals with a small African village after its takeover by Islamic fundamentalists.
Also read: TheWrap Screening Series: ‘Timbuktu’ Director Reveals How Islam Was ‘Taken Hostage’
The film beat out a group of nominees that also included “Saint Laurent,” “Sils Maria” and “Les Combattants” (“Love at First Fight”), which was named the best debut feature at the Friday night ceremony in Paris.
“Timbuktu” dominated the ceremony, and was also honored for its direction, screenplay, cinematography, editing, sound and original score.
Stewart won for her role as the assistant to an actress portrayed by Juliette Binoche. She was the first American actress ever nominated in the category, and the first to be nominated in 30 years in any acting category.
Adrien Brody is the only other American to win an acting Cesar, for “The Pianist.”
See video: Kristen Stewart Laughs Off Tabloid Report That She’s Quitting Acting (Video)
In the race of dueling Yves Saint Laurents, Pierre Niney won the best actor award for playing the title role in the biopic “Yves Saint Laurent” over Gaspard Ulliel, who played the same role in “Saint Laurent.”
Adèle Haenel won the best-actress award for “Les Combattants” (“Love at First Fight”), while Reda Kateb was named best supporting actor for “Hippocrate.”
Xavier Dolan’s “Mommy,” which was submitted by Canada in the Oscar foreign language race but did not make the shortlist, beat a formidable group of competitors in the Best Foreign Film category. Nominees included this year’s Oscar nominees “Boyhood,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Ida” and “Two Days, One Night,” as well as last year’s winner “12 Years a Slave” and the Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Winter Sleep.”
Here’s the complete list of nominees. Winners are indicated by *WINNER.
Best Film
“Les Combattants” (“Love at First Fight”)
“Eastern Boys”
“La Famille Bélier”
“Saint Laurent”
“Hippocrate”
“Clouds of Sils Maria”
“Timbuktu” *WINNER
Best Director
Céline Sciamma, “Girlhood”
Thomas Cailley, “Les Combattants” (“Love at First Fight”)
Robin Campillo, “Eastern Boys”
Thomas Lilti, “Hippocrate”
Bertrand Bonello, “Saint Laurent”
Olivier Assayas, “Clouds of Sils Maria”
Abderrahmane Sissako, “Timbuktu” *WINNER
Best Actress
Juliette Binoche, “Clouds of Sils Maria”
Catherine Deneuve, “Dans La Cour” (“In the Courtyard”)
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
Emilie Dequenne, “Pas Son Genre” (“Not My Type”)
Adèle Haenel, “Les Combattants” (“Love at First Fight”) *WINNER
Sandrine Kiberlain, “Elle L’Adore”
Karin Viard, “La Famille Bélier”
Best Actor
Pierre Niney, “Yves Saint Laurent” *WINNER
Romain Duris, “Une Nouvelle Amie” (“The New Girlfriend”)
Gaspard Ulliel, “Saint Laurent”
Guillaume Canet, “La Prochaine Fois Je Viserai Le Coeur” (“Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart”)
Niels Arestrup, “Diplomatie” (“Diplomacy”)
François Damiens, “La Famille Bélier”
Vincent Lacoste, “Hippocrate”
Best Supporting Actress
Marianne Denicourt, “Hippocrate”
Claude Gensac, “Lulu Femme Nue”
Izïa Higelin, “Samba”
Charlotte Le Bon, “Yves Saint Laurent”
Kristen Stewart, “Clouds of Sils Maria” *WINNER
Best Supporting Actor
Eric Elmosnino, “La Famille Bélier”
Jérémie Renier, “Saint Laurent”
Guillaume Gallienne, “Yves Saint Laurent”
Louis Garrel, “Saint Laurent”
Reda Kateb, “Hippocrate” *WINNER
Best Newcomer (Female)
Lou de Laâge, “Respire”
Joséphine Japy, “Respire”
Louane Emera, “La Famille Bélier” *WINNER
Ariane Labed, “Fidelio, L’Odyssée D’Alice”
Karidja Touré, “Bande De Filles” (“Girlhood”)
Best Newcomer (Male)
Kevin Azaïs, “Les Combattants” (“Love at First Fight”) *WINNER
Ahmed Dramé, “Les Héritiers” (“Once in a Lifetime”)
Kirill Emelyanov, “Eastern Boys”
Pierre Rochefort, “Un Beau Dimanche” (“Going Away”)
Marc Zinga, “Qu’Allah Bénisse La France” (“May Allah Bless France!”)
Best Original Screenplay
“Les Combattants”
(“Love at First Fight”)
“La Famille Bélier”
“Hippocrate”
“Clouds of Sils Maria”
“Timbuktu” *WINNER
Best Adapted Screenplay
“La Chambre Bleue”
(“The Blue Room”)
“Diplomatie”
(“Diplomacy”) *WINNER
“Pas Son Genre”
(“Not My Type”)
“Lulu Femme Nue”
“La Prochaine Fois Je Viserai Le Coeur” (“Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart”)
Best Foreign Film
“Winter Sleep”
“Boyhood”
“12 Years A Slave”
“Two Days, One Night”
“Mommy” *WINNER
“Ida”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Best Debut Feature
“Les Combattants”
(“Love at First Fight”) *WINNER
“Elle L’Adore”
“Fidelio, L’Odyssée D’Alice”
“Party Girl”
“Qu’Allah Bénisse La France” (“May Allah Bless France!”)
Best Score
“Bande De Filles”
”
(“Girlhood”)
“Bird People”
“Les Combattants”
(“Love at First Fight”)
“Timbuktu”
*WINNER
“Yves Saint Laurent”
Best Editing
“Les Combattants”
(“Love at First Fight”)
“Hippocrate”
“Party Girl”
“Saint-Laurent”
“Timbuktu”
*WINNER
Best Cinematography
“La Belle Et La Bête”
(“Beauty and the Beast”)
“Saint Laurent”
“Clouds of Sils Maria”
“Timbuktu”
*WINNER
“Yves Saint Laurent”
Best Set Design
“La Belle Et La Bête”
(“Beauty and the Beast”) ”
*WINNER
“La French”
“Saint Laurent”
“Timbuktu”
“Yves Saint Laurent”
Best Costumes
“La Belle Et La Bête”
(“Beauty and the Beast”)
“La French”
“Saint Laurent”
*WINNER
“Une Nouvelle Amie”
(“The New Girlfriend”)
“Yves Saint Laurent”
Best Documentary
“Caricaturistes – Fantassins De La Démocratie”
(“Cartoonists – Foot Soldiers of Democracy”)
“Les Chèvres De Ma Mère”
“La Cour De Babel”
“National Gallery”
“The Salt Of The Earth” *WINNER
Best Sound
“Bande De Filles”
(“Girlhood”)
“Bird People”
“Les Combattants”
(“Love at First Fight”)
“Saint Laurent”
“Timbuktu” *WINNER
Best Animated Film
“Minuscule – La Vallée Des Fourmis Perdues” *WINNER
“Jack Et La Mécanique Du Coeur”
“Song of the Sea”
Best Short Film
“Aïssa”
“La Femme De Rio”
*WINNER
“Inupiluk”
“Les Jours D’Avant”
“Où Je Mets Ma Pudeur”
“La Virée A Paname”
Best Animated Short
“Bang Bang!”
“La Bûche De Noël”
“La Petite Casserole D’Anatole”
“Les Petits Cailloux” *WINNER