Penélope Cruz, Juliette Binoche and Vanessa Paradis at César Awards

It’s the biggest night on the French film calendar.

And some of Hollywood’s elite actresses from all over the globe stormed the red carpet for the 43rd Annual César Film Awards in Paris on Friday evening.

Among the stars were Spanish Penélope Cruz and French natives Juliette Binoche and Vanessa Paradis.

Cruz – who was being honored with an honorary prize from France’s Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema at the prestigious event – looked radiant as she arrived in a silk gown in a regal shade of lilac.

The American Crime Story actress, 43, beamed in the off-the-shoulder number, which fell in waves as it cascaded to the floor.

A slit at the front teased the star’s toned pins, and she showed off black strappy peep-toe heels beneath.

Cruz wore a daring shade of red on her manicured nails and accentuated the look with a statement ring, dangling crystal earrings and a black clutch, complete with diamond buckle.

Stunning: The American Crime Story actress, 43, beamed in the off-the-shoulder number, which fell in waves as it cascaded to the floor

Sweeping: The American Crime Story actress, 43, beamed in the off-the-shoulder number, which fell in waves as it cascaded to the floor

Star of the evening: The César Film Awards are known as France’s equivalent of the Oscars – an Cruz’s award is a great honour

She swept her mahogany locks up, allowing a few strands to sultrily fall around her features, and finished the look off with a clay-pink gloss on her lips.

The César Film Awards are known as France’s equivalent of the Oscars – and Cruz’s award is a great honour.

Alain Terzian, the president of the Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema, said earlier this year: ‘Penélope Cruz has the talent to shine in international productions as much as in [smaller] films, whether [she’s working] for Ridley Scott, Rob Marshall, Kenneth Branagh, Sergio Castellitto, Fernando Trueba or Asghar Farhadi, with whom she has just wrapped Everybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben), which will come out in May.’

Busy: Cruz is currently starring on TV in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story as Donatella Versace

Click, flash: Cruz wore a daring shade of red on her manicured nails and accentuated the look with a statement ring, dangling crystal earrings and a black clutch, complete with diamond buckle

Giddy: Cruz appeared delighted with her award

Majestic: She proudly posed having been presented with the accolade

The honour has been previously awarded to the likes of George Clooney, Michael Douglas, Meryl Streep and Sean Penn in past years. 

Cruz won an Oscar for best supporting actress for Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008. She also won a BAFTA award for her role in the same movie. 

She is starring opposite Javier Bardem and Ricardo Darin in upcoming 2018 thriller Everybody Knows, a Spanish-language movie directed by Oscar-winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi. 

Alain Terzian, the president of the Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema, said earlier this year: ‘Penélope Cruz has the talent to shine in international productions as much as in [smaller] films’

Elegance: French star, Binoche, looked glorious in a daring black gown, which plunged deeply at the front

Film noir: She wore peep-toe heels and emerald drop-earrings to accessorise the look. The actress scraped back her raven tresses for the occassion and showcased her natural beauty with subtle touches of make-up

Delicate: Paradis, 45, looked elegant in a light flowing number in a salmon pink shade

French star, Binoche, looked glorious in a daring black gown, which plunged deeply at the front.

The daring number showed off the 53-year-old’s stunning curves, teasing her bust and cascading to the floor to finish in a miniature train.

She wore peep-toe heels and emerald drop-earrings to accessorise the look. The actress scraped back her raven tresses for the occassion and showcased her natural beauty with subtle touches of make-up.

Paradis, 45, looked elegant in a light flowing number in a salmon pink shade. 

Pretty in pink: The ex-wife of Johnny Depp flowed along the red carpet in the semi-sheer number that featured long breezy arms, layers at the skirt and a sequined layer beneath

Emotional moment: Cruz received the Honory Lifetime Achievement award at the Salle Pleyel concert hall in Paris

Pensive: The honour has been previously awarded to the likes of George Clooney, Michael Douglas, Meryl Streep and Sean Penn in past years

The ex-wife of Johnny Depp flowed along the red carpet in the semi-sheer number that featured long breezy arms, layers at the skirt and a sequined layer beneath.

This sparkled brightly in the bulbs of the flashing cameras as she posed sultrily with a knowing pout.

She wore her dark blonde mane loosely around her shoulders and added gold heels to the look.

All three women sported a white pin in a continued show of support to the #MeToo movement.

Joining fellow actresses across the Atlantic and the English Channel in a protest of sexual misconduct, the César Award’s version of the show of support features a white ribbon instead of wearing all black. 

Thank you: Cruz was gifted the award by director Pedro Almodovar and Marion Cotillard

Stunning in silver: French actress Cotillard stepped out on stage looking sleek

Whoosh! The actress strutted her stuff along the red carpet after the ceremony

Teary: Cruz was clearly moved by the great honour

In good company: Bardem and Cruz posed with directorAlmodovar before the ceremony kicked off

Honoured: Cruz and producer Alain Terzian posed before the start of the ceremony

About 100 actresses and other figures launched the hashtag Maintenant On Agit (Now We Act) campaign this week ahead of the awards.

A call on the website of the Foundation of Women, collaborating with the white-ribbon movement, simply said: ‘We submitted, We endured, We kept silent.’

More than 100 personalities, including stars Agnes Jaoui, Julie Gayet and Sandrine Bonnaire, asked for donations via the foundation. The funds are destined for associations helping women pursue cases before justice, ‘so that no woman ever again has to say #MeToo.’

Presenting duties: Geraldine Nakache and Master of Ceremony Manu Payet graced the stage

Smiles: Actress Sophie Marceau posed in the press room at Salle Pleyel on Friday

Stepping out: Marceau looked stunning in a wrap-around cream blouse and black slacks

Oh my! Pierre Richard and Marceau seemed to be getting a little close at the photocall

Stars come out: [L-R] Olga Kurylenko and Isabelle Hupper walked the red carpet

Under wraps: Kurylenko kept her modesty protected with the addition of a large club shaped emblem that complemented the black strips of lace woven into her dress

Natural beauty: The Bond babe – who starred in Quantum of Solace – finished off the look by styling her glossy chesnut locks in a chic chignon bun that framed her pretty features

Having her say: Huppert was sure to express herself during the awards

Date night: Dimitri Rassan and Charlotte Casiraghi arrived together for the evening’s ceremony

Winners: [L-R] Actor Nahuel Perez Biscayart and Director Robin Campillo

Catch up: Jordana, Casiraghi and Rassam were seen chatting in the crowd

Larking around: Director JR joked with a cardboard figure of director Agnes Varda before the start of the ceremony and Nicolas Bedos appeared to propose to Doria Tillier

Meanwhile, the likes of Binoche are calling for quotas to guarantee that more government film subsidies go to movies directed by women. 

Anger over sexual misconduct and demands for gender equality are charging the atmosphere around this year’s Césars – much like around the Oscars coming Sunday. Some have criticized the quota idea as counterproductive, however.

France’s entertainment industry has seen divisions over the #MeToo movement that started in Hollywood with sexual abuse accusations against producer Harvey Weinstein. Catherine Deneuve notably said it had gone too far. 

THE CÈSAR AWARDS 2018 – WINNERS

BEST FILM

BPM – WINNER

Au revoir là-haut

Barbara

Le Brio

Patients

Petit Paysan

Le Sens De La Fête

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Albert Dupontel, Au revoir Là-Haut – WINNER 

Robin Campillo, BPM 

Mathieu Amalric, Barbara

Julia Ducournau, Grave

Hubert Charuel, Petit Paysan

Michel Hazanavicius, Le Redoutable

Eric Tolédano & Olivier Nakache, Le Sens De La Fête

 

BEST ACTRESS

Jeanne Balibar, Barbara – WINNER 

Juliette Binoche, Un Beau Soleil Intérieur 

Emmanuelle Devos, Numéro Une

Marina Foïs, L’Atelier

Charlotte Gainsbourg, La Promesse De L’Aube

Karine Viard, Jalouse

Doria Tillier, Monsieur Et Madame Adelman

BEST ACTRESS NOMINEE: Juliette Binoche was nominated for Un Beau Soleil Intérieur

BEST ACTOR

Swann Arlaud, Petit Paysan – WINNER

Daniel Auteuil, Le Brio

Jean-Pierre Bacri, Le Sens De La Fête

Guillaume Canet, Rock’n Roll

Albert Dupontel, Au Revoir Là-Haut

Louis Garrel, Le Redoutable

Reda Kateb, Django

 

BEST NEWCOMER (FEMALE)

Camélia Jordana, Le Brio – WINNER 

Iris Bry, Les Gardiennes

Laetitia Dosch, Jeune Femme

Eye Haïdara, Le Sens De La Fête 

Garance Marillier, Grave

 

BEST NEWCOMER (MALE)

Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, BPM – WINNER 

Benjamin Lavernhe, Le Sens De La Fête

Finnegan Oldfield, Marvin Ou La Belle Education

Pablo Pauly, Patients 

Arnaud Valois, BPM

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Antoine Reinartz, BPM – WINNER 

Niels Arestrup, Au Revoir Là-Haut

Laurent Lafitte, Au Revoir Là-Haut

Gilles Lellouche, Le Sens De La Fête

Vincent Macaigne, Le Sens De La Fête 

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Sara Giraudeau, Petit Paysan – WINNER 

Laure Calamy, Ava

Anaïs Demoustier, La Villa

Adèle Haenel, BPM

Mélanie Thierry, Au Revoir Là-Haut

BEST FILM WINNER: BPM – 120 Beats Per Minute one the biggest award of the night

BEST COSTUMES

Mimi Lempicka, Au Revoir Là-Haut – WINNER 

Isabelle Pannetier, BPM 

Pascaline Chavanne, Barbara

Anaïs Romand, Les Gardiennes

Catherine Bouchard, La Promesse De L’Aube

 

BEST SET DECORATION

Pierre Quefféléan, Au Revoir Là-Haut – WINNER 

Emmanuelle Duplay, BPM 

Laurent Baude, Barbara

Pierre Renson, La Promesse De L’Aube

Christian Marti, Le Redoubtable

 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Pépé Le Morse – WINNER 

Le Future Sera Chauve

I Want Pluto To Be A Planet Again

Le Jardin De Minuit, dir: Benoît Chieux 

BEST SHORT FILM NOMINEE: Marlon was one of the nominated movies

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Le Grand Méchant Renard Et Autres Contes – WINNER

Sahara

Zombillénium 

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Vincent Mathias, Au Revoir Là-Haut – WINNER 

Jeanne Lapoirie, BPM 

Christophe Beaucarne, Barbara

Caroline Champetier, Les Gardiennes

Guillaume Schiffman, Le Redoubtable

BEST FILM NOMINEE: Barbara was up for an award on the night

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Albert Dupontel, Pierre Lemaitre, Au Revoir Là-Haut – WINNER

Xavier Beauvois, Drédérique Moreau, Marie-Julie Maille, Les Gardiennes

Grand Corps Malade, Fadette Drouard, Patients

Eric Barbier, Marie Eynard, La Promesse De L’Aube

Michel Hazanavicius, Le Redoubtable

 

BEST EDITING

Robin Campillo, BPM – WINNER

Christophe Pinel, Au Revoir Là-Haut

Francois Gedigier, Barbara

Julie Lena, Lilian Corbeille, Grégoire Pontecaille, Petit Paysan

Dorian Rigal Ansous, Le Sens De La Fête

 

BEST SOUND

Olivier Mauvezin, Nicolas Moreau, Stéphane Thiébaut, Barbara – WINNER 

Julien Sicart, Valérie De Loof, Jean-Pierre Laforce, BPM

Jean Minodo, Gurwal Coïc-Gallas, Cyril Holtz, Damien Lazzerini, Au Revoir Là-Haut 

Mathieu Descamps, Séverin Favriau, Stéphane Thiébaut, Grave

Pascal Armant, Sélim Azzazi, Jean-Paul Hurier, Le Sens De La Fété

 

BEST SHORT FILM

Les Bigorneaux – WINNER

Le Bleu Blanc Rouge De Mes Cheveux

Debout Kinshasa!

Marlon

Les Misérables

 

BEST DEBUT FEATURE

Petit Paysan – WINNER 

Grave

Jeune Femme

Monsieur & Madame Adelman

Patients 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINEE: Two stars from Au Revoir Là-Haut were nominated

 BEST DOCUMENTARY

I Am Not Your Negro – WINNER 

12 Days

A Voix Haute – La Force De La Parole,

Carré 35, dir: Eric Caravaca 

Visages Villages

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Arnaud Reotini, BPM – WINNER

Christophe Julien, Au Revoir Là-Haut

Jim Williams, Grave

MYD, Petit Paysan

Mathieu Chedid, Visages Villages

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Robin Campillo, BPM – WINNER

Mathieu Amalric, Philippe Di Folco, Barbara

Julia Ducournau, Grave

Claude Le Pape, Hubert Charuel, Petit Paysan

Eric Tolédano, Olivier Nakache, Le Sens De La Fête

 

BEST FOREIGN FILM

Loveless – WINNER

Le Caire Confidentiel

Dunkirk

L’Echange Des Princesses 

La La Land

Noces

The Square

BEST FOREIGN FILM NOMINEE: American hit La La Land starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone failed to scoop the award