Belgian co-production named Best Film at Césars
The Franco-Belgian production l’Attachement (The Ties That Bind Us) won the award for Best Film at the Césars ceremony, France’s national film awards, on Thursday night.
The film – co-produced by Brussels-based Umedia – is about a woman who builds a special bond with the children of her neighbour, who has lost his wife. “The story is based on everything that connects us in this society that builds walls everywhere,” said director Carine Tardieu as she accepted the award. L’Attachement also received the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
French actress Vimala Pons received the César for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. Three other Umedia co-productions were nominated for awards: The Shrinking Man, 13 Days 13 Nights and How to Make a Killing.
“Being recognized at such a prestigious event marks a significant milestone for any project and is a strong testament to the talent and dedication of all the teams involved,” Umedia said ahead of the ceremony.
Elsewhere, Nouvelle Vague took home four awards. It tells the story of the 1960 shooting of Jean-Luc Godard's À bout de souffle, the most important film of France’s Nouvelle Vague. American Richard Linklater, who filmed an entire film in French for the first time, was named Best Director. The film also won awards for cinematography, editing and costume design.
"Being recognized at such a prestigious event is a strong testament to the talent and dedication of all the teams involved"
The main actor awards went to two established names in French cinema: Léa Drucker won Best Actress for the second time, for her role in Dossier 137, while Laurent Lafitte was awarded for his role in La Femme la plus riche du monde, inspired by the story of L’Oréal owner Liliane Bettencourt.
Many of the presenters and winners spoke up about repression in Iran during the ceremony. Handing out the award for Best Original Screenplay, French-Iranian actor Golshifteh Farahani paid tribute to “the Iranian people who have been fighting for freedom for decades, empty-handed and often alone, armed with courage and a culture that is one of the oldest in the world”.
French director Carine Tardieu after winning the Best Film award for l'Attachment at the 51st edition of the César film awards in Paris, 26 February 2026 © ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
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