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Delayed sharing with you the winners as I was more than a bit surprised with the top award given by the more than 400 specialized press journalists that belong to l’Académie des Étoiles d’Or du Cinéma Français. The reason is that I really like both movies, follow both directors, have seen most -if not all- their body of work and believe both directors are great master storytellers and filmmakers; but is not easy for me to accept that Jacques Audiard's De rouille et d’os beat Michael Haneke's Amour.

This situation becomes incredibly important as next Friday is the César awards ceremony and in the past, the "Golden Stars" and César have given top award to the same film. Undoubtedly the Césars have become less predictable than what many -including me- expected, are immediately must be seen (well, followed if they don't stream live) and yes, a lot more interesting!

In my opinion what the journalist group did was to honor Audiard with the top award and honor Haneke with the "second place" award, as he won Best Director; so in a way they honored both movies which is alright with me but definitively would have been better if they have switched the honors. Still there is a possibility for Amour as this group represents almost 450 votes while French Academy voters are around 4,200. What is happening makes me recall when in 2009/2010 Audiard and Haneke were in similar situation with A Prophet and The White Ribbon around the world, but not in France as The White Ribbon was not a French majority production.

So, yes great Jacques Audiard film is the BIG winner with top award plus 3 more for a total of four awards. Haneke's Amour got two, Best Director and Best Actor.

These are the winners that you can also check at official site.

Best Film: De rouille et d’os
Best Director: Michael Haneke for Amour
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard in De rouille et d’os
Best Actor: Jean Louis Trintignant in Amour

Best Screenplay: Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain for De rouille et d’os

Best Female Newcomer: Izïa Higelin in Mauvaise fille
Best Male Newcomer: Matthias Schoenaerts in De rouille et d’os

Best Debut Film: Louise Wimmer, Cyril Mennegun
Best Documentary: Les invisibles, Sébastien Lifshitz

Original Score Compositor: Alexandre Desplat

Industry Awards
Production: Diaphana Films
Distributor: Gaumont Distribution

Too difficult for me to continue analyzing award winners, but deep inside me know that I'm very glad that Marion Cotillard was honored at "home" (meaning her home, France) even when I know that the honor belongs more to Emmanuelle Riva. No doubt about Trintignant win as is very well deserved and know will repeat next Friday.