Oscar-nominated Mustang takes home four Cesars

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Two films defined by issues of difference have swept the board at the Cesar awards in France.

The ceremony comes two days before the Oscars which this year have been plagued by accusations of a lack of diversity.

Same Florence, same. #Cesar2016 pic.twitter.com/4ya9OUpiur

— Anne Pauline (@ohsebiestan) February 27, 2016

The french awards were much more evenly distributed than last year’s Timbuktu sweep, with Mustang taking four overall, immigrant drama Fatima and the opera dramedy Marguerite three each, and Standing Tall two.

The audience included fashion designers Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Louboutin, newly-appointed French culture minister Audrey Azoulay and the head of the Cannes Festival, Thierry Fremaux.

And the winners are..

Mustang

• 4 Césars, including best first film for director Deniz Gamze Erguven and best original screenplay for Erguven and co-writer Alice Winocour

Fatima

• Best Film.

Arnaud Desplechin

• Best Director for “My Golden Days” (“Trois mémoires de ma jeunesse”)

Vincent Lindon

• Best Actor for “The Measure of a Man” (“La loi du marché”)

Lindon also won Best Actor in Cannes for the role, as well as the Lumiere award in January.

Catherine Frot

• Best Actor for “Marguerite”.

Frot also won a Lumiere award in January.

Michael Douglas

• Honorary César (for the second time in his career)

Birdman

• Best Foreign Film. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “The Revenant” is competing in Sunday’s Oscars.

The Little Prince

• Best animated feature

In tweets

The #Cesar2016 French film awards are under way in Paris – Michael Douglas is on hand. https://t.co/vUnWq4yydb pic.twitter.com/ELR3FXYcfM

— Variety (@Variety) February 26, 2016

#Mustang wins 4 awards #César2016. Roll on #Oscar2016 pic.twitter.com/PEg2YCqHsu

— Filmuforia.co.uk (@filmuforia) February 26, 2016

And the #Cesar2016 goes to…Fatima!https://t.co/a7qnVPVTOF pic.twitter.com/GnMn3nhJkS

— Variety (@Variety) February 26, 2016

BAE Vincent Lindon #Cesar2016 pic.twitter.com/QEesUjzMOn

— Jennifer Padjemi (@jenniferpadjemi) February 26, 2016

“Marguerite si tu veux faire mon bonheur, Marguerite donne moi ton cœur”
Catherine Frot chante (juste) #Cesar2016 pic.twitter.com/GaYajf86Si

— France Inter (@franceinter) February 26, 2016

Michael Douglas#Cesar2016 pic.twitter.com/RDH1482wCD

— Emmanuel Lemoine (@EmLemoine) February 27, 2016

#Cesar2016 : Birdman est le Meilleur film étranger
https://t.co/2oOOrzM1Sb pic.twitter.com/I8fNQdPPeq

— Première (@PremiereFR) February 26, 2016

The adventure starts in 2 WEEKS! Witness #TheLittlePrince storybook world come to life – In theatres 3/11. pic.twitter.com/obJmNXXsnh

— eOne Films (@eOnefilms) February 26, 2016

“La party” by Albane Cleret #Cesar2016 #lequeen ParisMatch</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qe9Bwp1dX4">pic.twitter.com/Qe9Bwp1dX4</a></p>&mdash; Méliné Ristiguian (meliristi) February 27, 2016

What they are saying

“I think it was very impressive tonight to see the number of women that won Cesars, film editing, directing. As you know, we are having some problems in our Academy in the States, and one of the dominant issues is the lack of women that get recognition.” – Michael Douglas commends the French academy for its gender balance compared to the Oscars, which have been plagued by accusations of lack of diversity.

“I thank the author, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, for creating this work of art that inspired everyone who worked on the film.” “The Little Prince” director, Mark Osborne.