Audrey Diwan’s Venice’s Golden Lion prize-winning “Happening,” has won France’s Alice Guy Award for the best female-directed French film of the year.
The Alice Guy Prize, which was named in honor of the first female helmer, was created by veteran film journalist Veronique Le Bris in 2018 to highlight the work of women directors.
The other four movies which were vying for the prize were Aissa Maiga’s lushly-lensed documentary feature “Marcher sur l’eau” and Catherine Corsini’s timely social drama “La fracture” which world premiered at last year’s Cannes in the official selection; as well as Aurélie Saada’s uplifting dramedy “Rose” and Charlène Favier’s “Slalom,” a coming-of-age film set in the world of competitive skiing.
These contenders, which are all French movies which were theatrically released within the year, were selected by 3,260 voters, while the final winner was chosen by a jury of filmmakers and professionals, including “Cuties” director Maïmouna Doucouré, who won last year’s Alice Guy prize, Niels Schneider, actor (“Totems”), Béatrice Thiriet, a music composer, Thierry Lacaze, head of distribution at Studiocanal, and Christopher Thompson, actor and director (“Bardot”).
The award ceremony took place on April 8 at the Max Linder Panorama theater and gathered more than 200 people. The evening kicked off with a piano concert by Thiriet who played three songs from three movies directed by Guy, “Sage femme de première classe,” “Chirurgie fin de siècle” and “Falling Leaves.”
“Happening” earned Diwan a BAFTA nominaton for best director and won a Cesar award for best female newcomer for Anamaria Vartolomei. The movie will be released the U.S. on May 6 by IFC Films.