The day after her win at the César for Best Foreign Film, Monia Chokri still can't believe it. “It's a bit unreal, I slept very little. To be honest, I didn't want to sleep, I wanted to live it,” she says in an interview with D'abord l'info on Saturday morning, live from Paris.
His film “Simple as Sylvain” won the César for best foreign film during the 49th French cinema gala on Friday, ahead of other successful films – notably filmmaker Christopher Nolan's “Oppenheimer.”
It took me a long time to believe it, it was at least three hours before I landed back on earth. I didn't understand what was happening to me. “It's a miracle in a way compared to the other people who were nominated in the same category as me,” adds the Quebec director.
In addition to Oppenheimer, Monia Chokri's film also competed for the César for best foreign film: “The Abduction” by Marco Bellocchio, “The Dead Leaves” by Aki Kaurismäki and “Perfect Days” by Wim Wenders.
It is a warm award, the foreign film award, because in the industry there is no issue of war between one producer or another. I think it's just a sign of affection and I'm happy about it.
I grew up with French cinema, it's what I wanted to make cinema with, so it's sure to be larger than life when that happens. “I couldn't allow myself to dream of winning a César or even making films in my life,” explains Monia Chokri.
Life is precious and fragile. When things are going well and everything is in harmony, you have to be grateful and enjoy it to the fullest.
This sentimental comedy received a seven-minute ovation at its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023. She has also already been recognized at the Cabourg Festival in the north of France, where she won the Grand Jury Prize and the Youth Prize.
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Monia Chokri accepts the César for best foreign film during the 49th High Mass of French cinema on February 23, 2024.
Photo: Getty Images / Julien M. Hekimian
“We no longer accept the disruption that the profession has caused in women’s lives.”
This is the fourth time in César history that a woman has won in this category, following Jane Campion in 1994, Sofia Coppola in 2005 and Valerie Faris in 2007.
This edition took place in a special atmosphere, at a time when the cinema industry is rocked by numerous scandals. Many women in the industry have recently stood up to denounce the sexual and physical abuse they say they have experienced, including several actresses from American and French directors.
Judith Godrèche also gave a speech on the subject of sexual violence, in which she denounced the lack of silence in the industry.
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Judith Godrèche became a leading figure in the French #MeToo movement after filing a complaint against directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon.
Photo: Getty Images / Dia Dipasupil
I really felt the tide turning yesterday. As if the world had no space before and we would no longer accept the disruption that the profession has caused in women's lives, adds Monia Chokri. She said that she really liked the speech by Justine Triet, who dedicated her César to all women who denounce and those who are afraid to speak, those who fight, those who succeed and those who fail.