Big names and dark horses at the 50th César Awards

“She's coming, she's coming, hurry, damn it!” Backstage at a packed Olympia, a cameraman on the verge of a breakdown trips on the carpet and smashes his face with the camera. Just three meters away, Catherine Deneuve remains unfazed. Her features stiffened with stress, her earrings trembling, the iconic French cinema star prepares to take the stage and open the 50th César Awards.Fifteen years after her last appearance at this venue, the timeless ‘demoiselle’ of Rochefort, who typically avoids this event, which she deems “unnecessarily long and boring,” agreed to preside over this anniversary edition “for the sake of Cédric Klapisch,” the director of “L’auberge espagnole” and this year’s event.“Now you understand why I never did theater; public speaking is not my thing,” jokes Queen Catherine, surrounded by three women trying to pin a...