View source for César Award for Best Film

{{Short description|French film award}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox award
| name = César Award for Best Film
| awarded_for = Best Film of the Year
| presenter = {{Lang|fr|[[Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma]]|italic=no}}
| country = France
| year = 1976
| holder = ''[[Emilia Pérez]]'' ([[50th César Awards|2025]])
| website = {{URL|academie-cinema.org}}
| image = Emilia Pérez Cannes 2024.jpg
| image_caption = 2025 recipient: ''[[Emilia Pérez]]''
}}

The winners and nominees of the '''[[César Award]] for Best Film''' ([[French language|French]]: {{Lang|fr|César du meilleur film}}).

==Winners and nominees==
===1970s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="100"|Year
!width="300"|English title
!width="300"|Original title
!width="300"|Director
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[1st César Awards|1976]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Le vieux fusil|The Old Gun]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Le Vieux Fusil'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Robert Enrico]]'''
|-
|''[[Cousin, cousine|Cousin, Cousine]]''||''Cousin, cousine''||[[Jean Charles Tacchella]]
|-
|''[[Let Joy Reign Supreme]]''||''Que la fête commence''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
|''[[Sept morts sur ordonnance|Seven Deaths by Prescription]]''||''Sept morts sur ordonnance''||[[Jacques Rouffio]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[2nd César Awards|1977]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Monsieur Klein|Mr. Klein]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Monsieur Klein'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Joseph Losey]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Barocco]]''||[[André Téchiné]]
|-
|''[[La Meilleure façon de marcher|The Best Way to Walk]]''||''La Meilleure Façon de marcher''||[[Claude Miller]]
|-
|''[[The Judge and the Assassin]]''||''Le Juge et l'assassin''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[3rd César Awards|1978]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Providence (1977 film)|Providence]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Alain Resnais]]'''
|-
|''[[Le Crabe-tambour|Drummer-Crab]]''||''Le Crabe-Tambour''||[[Pierre Schoendoerffer]]
|-
|''[[The Lacemaker]]''||''La Dentellière''||[[Claude Goretta]]
|-
|''[[Nous irons tous au paradis|We Will All Meet in Paradise]]''||''Nous irons tous au paradis''||[[Yves Robert]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[4th César Awards|1979]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[L'Argent des autres|Other People's Money]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''L'Argent des autres'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Christian de Chalonge]]'''
|-
|''[[Le dossier 51|Dossier 51]]''||''Le Dossier 51''||[[Michel Deville]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Molière (1978 film)|Molière]]''||[[Ariane Mnouchkine]]
|-
|''[[A Simple Story (1978 film)|A Simple Story]]''||''Une histoire simple''||[[Claude Sautet]]
|}

===1980s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="100"|Year
!width="300"|English title
!width="300"|Original title
!width="300"|Director
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[5th César Awards|1980]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Tess (1979 film)|Tess]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Roman Polanski]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Don Giovanni (1979 film)|Don Giovanni]]''||[[Joseph Losey]]
|-
|''[[I as in Icarus]]''||''I... comme Icare''||[[Henri Verneuil]]
|-
|''[[Womanlight]]''||''Clair de femme''||[[Costa Gavras]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[6th César Awards|1981]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Last Metro]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Le Dernier Métro'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[François Truffaut]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Loulou (film)|Loulou]]''||[[Maurice Pialat]]
|-
|''[[My American Uncle]]''||''Mon oncle d'Amérique''||[[Alain Resnais]]
|-
|''[[Sauve qui peut (la vie)|Slow Motion]]'' (a.k.a. ''Every Man for Himself'')||''Sauve qui peut (la vie)''||[[Jean-Luc Godard]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[7th César Awards|1982]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Quest for Fire (film)|Quest for Fire]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''La Guerre du feu'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Jean-Jacques Annaud]]'''
|-
|''[[Coup de Torchon|Clean Up]]'' (a.k.a. ''Clean Slate'')||''Coup de torchon''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
|''[[Les uns et les autres|Dance of Life]]''||''Les Uns et les autres''||[[Claude Lelouch]] 
|-
|''[[Garde à vue|Under Suspicion]]''||''Garde à vue''||[[Claude Miller]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[8th César Awards|1983]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[La Balance|The Nark]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''La Balance'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Bob Swaim]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Danton (1983 film)|Danton]]''||[[Andrzej Wajda]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Passion (1982 film)|Passion]]''||[[Jean-Luc Godard]]
|-
|''[[Une chambre en ville|A Room in Town]]''||''Une chambre en ville''||[[Jacques Demy]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[9th César Awards|1984]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Le Bal (1983 film)|The Ball]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Le Bal'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Ettore Scola]]'''
|-
|style="background:#eedd82;"|'''''To Our Love'''''||style="background:#eedd82;"|'''''[[À Nos Amours|À nos amours]]'''''||style="background:#eedd82;"|'''[[Maurice Pialat]]'''
|-
|''[[Entre Nous (film)|Between Us]]''||''Entre nous'' (a.k.a. ''Coup de foudre'')||[[Diane Kurys]]
|-
|''[[One Deadly Summer]]''||''L'Été meurtrier''||[[Jean Becker (director)|Jean Becker]]
|-
|''[[So Long, Stooge]]''||''Tchao pantin''||[[Claude Berri]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[10th César Awards|1985]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[My New Partner]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Les Ripoux'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Claude Zidi]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Carmen (1984 film)|Carmen]]''||[[Francesco Rosi]]
|-
|''[[Les Nuits de la pleine lune|Full Moon in Paris]]''||''Les Nuits de la pleine lune''||[[Éric Rohmer]]
|-
|''[[L'amour à mort|Love Unto Death]]''||''L'Amour à mort''||[[Alain Resnais]]
|-
|''[[A Sunday in the Country]]''||''Un dimanche à la campagne''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[11th César Awards|1986]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Trois hommes et un couffin|Three Men and a Cradle]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''3 hommes et un couffin'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Coline Serreau]]'''
|-
|''[[Péril en la demeure|Death in a French Garden]]''||''Péril en la demeure''||[[Michel Deville]]
|-
|''[[L'Effrontée|Impudent Girl]]''||''L'Effrontée''||[[Claude Miller]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Subway (film)|Subway]]''||[[Luc Besson]]
|-
|''[[Vagabond (1985 film)|Vagabond]]''||''Sans toit ni loi''||[[Agnès Varda]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[12th César Awards|1987]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Thérèse (film)|Thérèse]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Alain Cavalier]]'''
|-
|''[[Betty Blue]]''||''37°2 le matin''||[[Jean-Jacques Beineix]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Jean de Florette]]''||[[Claude Berri]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Mélo (1986 film)|Mélo]]''||[[Alain Resnais]]
|-
|''[[Ménage]]''||''Tenue de soirée''||[[Bertrand Blier]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[13th César Awards|1988]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Goodbye, Children'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Au revoir les enfants]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Louis Malle]]'''
|-
|''[[The Grand Highway]]''||''Le Grand Chemin''||[[Jean-Loup Hubert]]
|-
|''[[The Innocents (1987 film)|The Innocents]]''||''Les Innocents''||[[André Téchiné]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Tandem (1987 film)|Tandem]]''||[[Patrice Leconte]]
|-
|''[[Under the Sun of Satan (film)|Under the Sun of Satan]]''||''Sous le soleil de Satan''||[[Maurice Pialat]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[14th César Awards|1989]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Camille Claudel (film)|Camille Claudel]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Bruno Nuytten]]'''
|-
|''[[The Bear (1988 film)|The Bear]]''||''L'Ours''||[[Jean-Jacques Annaud]]
|-
|''[[The Big Blue]]''||''Le Grand Bleu''||[[Luc Besson]]
|-
|''[[Life Is a Long Quiet River]]''||''La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille''||[[Étienne Chatiliez]]
|-
|''[[The Reader (1988 film)|The Reader]]''||''La Lectrice''||[[Michel Deville]]
|}

===1990s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="100"|Year
!width="300"|English title
!width="300"|Original title
!width="300"|Director
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[15th César Awards|1990]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Too Beautiful for You]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Trop belle pour toi'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Bertrand Blier]]'''
|-
|''[[Nocturne indien|Indian Nocturne]]''||''Nocturne indien''||[[Alain Corneau]]
|-
|''[[Life and Nothing But]]''||''La Vie et rien d'autre''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
|''[[Monsieur Hire|Mr. Hire]]''||''Monsieur Hire''||[[Patrice Leconte]]
|-
|''[[Love Without Pity]]''||''Un monde sans pitié''||[[Eric Rochant]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[16th César Awards|1991]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Cyrano de Bergerac (1990 film)|Cyrano de Bergerac]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Jean-Paul Rappeneau]]'''
|-
|''[[The Hairdresser's Husband]]''||''Le Mari de la coiffeuse''||[[Patrice Leconte]]
|-
|''[[The Little Gangster]]''||''Le Petit Criminel''||[[Jacques Doillon]]
|-
|''[[La Femme Nikita (film)|La Femme Nikita]]''||''Nikita''||[[Luc Besson]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Uranus (1990 film)|Uranus]]''||[[Claude Berri]]
|-
! rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" |[[17th César Awards|1992]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Tous les matins du monde (film)|All the Mornings of the World]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Tous les matins du monde'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Alain Corneau]]'''
|-
|''[[Merci la vie|Thank You Life]]''||''Merci la vie''||[[Bertrand Blier]]
|-
|''[[La Belle Noiseuse|The Beautiful Troublemaker]]''||''La Belle Noiseuse''||[[Jacques Rivette]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Van Gogh (1991 film)|Van Gogh]]''||[[Maurice Pialat]] 
|-
! rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" |[[18th César Awards|1993]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Savage Nights]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Les nuits fauves'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Cyril Collard]]'''
|-
|''[[Le Petit prince a dit|And the Little Prince Said]]''||''Le Petit Prince a dit''||[[Christine Pascal]]
|-
|''[[La Crise|The Crisis]]''||''La Crise''||[[Coline Serreau]]
|-
|''[[A Heart in Winter]]''||''Un cœur en hiver''||[[Claude Sautet]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Indochine (film)|Indochine]]''||[[Régis Wargnier]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[L.627]]''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[19th César Awards|1994]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Smoking/No Smoking]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Alain Resnais]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Germinal (1993 film)|Germinal]]''||[[Claude Berri]]
|-
|''[[My Favorite Season]]''||''Ma saison préférée''||[[André Téchiné]]
|-
|''[[Three Colors: Blue]]''||''Trois couleurs: Bleu''||[[Krzysztof Kieślowski]]
|-
| colspan="2" |''[[Les Visiteurs]]''||[[Jean-Marie Poiré]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[20th César Awards|1995]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Wild Reeds (film)|Wild Reeds]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Les Roseaux sauvages'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[André Téchiné]]'''
|-
|''[[The Favourite Son]]''||''Le Fils préféré''||[[Nicole Garcia]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Léon (film)|Léon]]''||[[Luc Besson]]
|-
|''[[Queen Margot (1994 film)|Queen Margot]]''||''La Reine Margot''||[[Patrice Chéreau]]
|-
|''[[Three Colors: Red]]''||''Trois couleurs: Rouge''||[[Krzysztof Kieślowski]] 
|-
! rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" |[[21st César Awards|1996]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Hate'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[La Haine|La haine]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Mathieu Kassovitz]]'''
|-
|''[[Happiness Is in the Field]]''||''Le Bonheur est dans le pré''||[[Étienne Chatiliez]]
|-
|''[[La Cérémonie|The Ceremony]]''||''La Cérémonie''||[[Claude Chabrol]]
|-
|''[[French Twist (film)|French Twist]]''||''Gazon maudit''||[[Josiane Balasko]]
|-
|''[[The Horseman on the Roof]]''||''Le Hussard sur le toit''||[[Jean-Paul Rappeneau]]
|-
|''[[Nelly and Mr. Arnaud]]''||''Nelly et Monsieur Arnaud''||[[Claude Sautet]] 
|-
! rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" |[[22nd César Awards|1997]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Ridicule (film)|Ridicule]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Patrice Leconte]]'''
|-
|''[[Capitaine Conan|Captain Conan]]''||''Capitaine Conan''||[[Bertrand Tavernier]]
|-
|''[[Family Resemblances]]''||''Un air de famille''||[[Cédric Klapisch]]
|-
|''[[Microcosmos (film)|Microcosmos]]''||''Microcosmos: Le peuple de l'herbe''||Claude Nuridsany and Marie Pérennou
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Pédale douce]]''||[[Gabriel Aghion]]
|-
|''[[Thieves (1996 film)|Thieves]]''||''Les Voleurs''||[[André Téchiné]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[23rd César Awards|1998]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[On connaît la chanson|Same Old Song]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''On connaît la chanson'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Alain Resnais]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[The Fifth Element]]''||[[Luc Besson]]
|-
|''[[Marius and Jeannette]]''||''Marius et Jeannette''||[[Robert Guédiguian]]
|-
|''[[Le Bossu (1997 film)|On Guard]]''||''Le Bossu''||[[Philippe de Broca]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Western (1997 film)|Western]]''||[[Manuel Poirier]] 
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[24th César Awards|1999]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Dreamlife of Angels]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''La Vie rêvée des anges'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Erick Zonca]]'''
|-
|''[[Le dîner de cons|The Dinner Game]]''||''Le Dîner de cons''||[[Francis Veber]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Place Vendôme (film)|Place Vendôme]]''||[[Nicole Garcia]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Taxi (1998 film)|Taxi]]''||[[Gérard Pirès]]
|-
|''[[Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train]]''||''Ceux qui m'aiment prendront le train''||[[Patrice Chéreau]]
|}

===2000s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="100"|Year
!width="300"|English title
!width="300"|Original title
!width="300"|Director
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[25th César Awards|2000]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Venus Beauty Institute]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Venus beauté (institut)'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Tonie Marshall]]'''
|-
|''[[The Children of the Marshland]]''||''Les Enfants du marais''||[[Jean Becker (director)|Jean Becker]] 
|-
|''[[East/West]]''||''Est - Ouest''||[[Régis Wargnier]]
|-
|''[[Girl on the Bridge]]''||''La Fille sur le pont''||[[Patrice Leconte]]
|-
|''[[The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc]]''||''Jeanne d'Arc''||[[Luc Besson]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[26th César Awards|2001]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Taste of Others]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Le Goût des autres'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Agnès Jaoui]]'''
|-
|''[[Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien|Harry, He's Here to Help]]''||''Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien''||[[Dominik Moll]]
|-
|''[[Murderous Maids]]''||''Les Blessures assassines''||[[Jean-Pierre Denis]]
|-
|''[[A Question of Taste]]''||''Une affaire de goût''||[[Bernard Rapp]]
|-
|''[[The King's Daughters]]''||''Saint-Cyr''||[[Patricia Mazuy]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[27th César Awards|2002]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Amélie]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Jean-Pierre Jeunet]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Chaos (2001 film)|Chaos]]''||[[Coline Serreau]]
|-
|''[[The Officers' Ward (film)|The Officers' Ward]]''||''La Chambre des officiers''||[[François Dupeyron]]
|-
|''[[Sur mes lèvres|Read My Lips]]''||''Sur mes lèvres''||[[Jacques Audiard]]
|-
|''[[Sous le sable|Under the Sand]]''||''Sous le sable''||[[François Ozon]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[28th César Awards|2003]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Pianist (2002 film)|The Pianist]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Roman Polanski]]'''
|-
|''[[8 Women]]''||''8 femmes''||[[François Ozon]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Amen.]]''||[[Costa-Gavras]]
|-
|''The Spanish Apartment''||''[[L'Auberge espagnole]]''||[[Cédric Klapisch]]
|-
|''[[To Be and to Have]]''||''Être et avoir''||[[Nicolas Philibert]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[29th César Awards|2004]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Barbarian Invasions]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Les Invasions barbares'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Denys Arcand]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Bon Voyage (2003 film)|Bon voyage]]''||[[Jean-Paul Rappeneau]]
|-
|''[[Feelings (2003 film)|Feelings]]''||''Les Sentiments''||[[Noémie Lvovsky]]
|-
|''[[Not on the Lips]]''||''Pas sur la bouche''||[[Alain Resnais]]
|-
|''[[The Triplets of Belleville]]''||''Les Triplettes de Belleville''||[[Sylvain Chomet]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[30th César Awards|2005]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Games of Love and Chance]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''L'Esquive'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Abdellatif Kechiche]]'''
|-
|''[[36 Quai des Orfèvres (film)|Department 36]]''||''36 Quai des Orfèvres''||[[Olivier Marchal]]
|-
|''[[The Chorus (2004 film)|The Chorus]]''||''Les Choristes''||[[Christophe Barratier]]
|-
|''[[Kings and Queen]]''||''Rois et reine''||[[Arnaud Desplechin]]
|-
|''[[A Very Long Engagement]]''||''Un long dimanche de fiançailles''||[[Jean-Pierre Jeunet]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[31st César Awards|2006]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Beat That My Heart Skipped]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Jacques Audiard]]'''
|- 
|''[[L'Enfant (film)|The Child]]''||''L'Enfant''||[[Jean-Pierre Dardenne|Jean-Pierre]] and [[Luc Dardenne]]
|-
|''[[Live and Become]]''||''Va, vis et deviens''||[[Radu Mihaileanu]]
|-
|''[[Merry Christmas (2005 film)|Merry Christmas]]''||''Joyeux Noël''||[[Christian Carion]]
|-
|''[[The Young Lieutenant]]''||''Le Petit Lieutenant''||[[Xavier Beauvois]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[32nd César Awards|2007]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Lady Chatterley (film)|Lady Chatterley]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Pascale Ferran]]'''
|-
|''[[Days of Glory (2006 film)|Days of Glory]]''||''Indigènes''||[[Rachid Bouchareb]]
|-
|''[[I'm Fine, Don't Worry]]''||''Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas''||[[Philippe Lioret]]
|-
|''[[Tell No One]]''||''Ne le dis à personne''||[[Guillaume Canet]]
|-
|''[[When I Was a Singer]]''||''Quand j'étais chanteur''||[[Xavier Giannoli]]
|-
! rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |[[33rd César Awards|2008]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Secret of the Grain]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''La Graine et le mulet'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Abdellatif Kechiche]]'''
|-
|''[[The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (film)|The Diving Bell and the Butterfly]]''||''Le Scaphandre et le papillon''||[[Julian Schnabel]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Persepolis (film)|Persepolis]]''||[[Vincent Paronnaud]] and [[Marjane Satrapi]]
|-
|''[[A Secret]]''||''Un secret''||[[Claude Miller]]
|-
|''[[La Vie en rose (film)|La Vie en Rose]]''||''La môme''||[[Olivier Dahan]]
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[34th César Awards|2009]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Séraphine (film)|Séraphine]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Martin Provost]]'''
|-
|''[[A Christmas Tale]]''||''Un conte de Noël''||[[Arnaud Desplechin]]
|-
|''[[The Class (2008 film)|The Class]]''||''Entre les murs''||[[Laurent Cantet]]
|-
|''[[The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (film)|The First Day of the Rest of Your Life]]''||''Le Premier Jour du reste de ta vie''||[[Rémi Bezançon]]
|-
|''[[I've Loved You So Long]]''||''Il y a longtemps que je t'aime''||[[Philippe Claudel]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Paris (2008 film)|Paris]]''||[[Cedric Klapisch]]
|-
|''[[Mesrine (2008 film)|Public Enemy Number One: Part 1 and 2]]''||''L'Instinct de mort'' and ''L'Ennemi public n°1''||[[Jean-François Richet]]
|}

===2010s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="100"|Year
!width="300"|English title
!width="300"|Original title
!width="300"|Director
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[35th César Awards|2010]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[A Prophet]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Un prophète'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Jacques Audiard]]'''
|-
|''[[In the Beginning (2009 film)|In the Beginning]]''||''À l'origine''||[[Xavier Giannoli]]
|-
|''[[Le Concert|The Concert]]''||''Le Concert''||[[Radu Mihaileanu]]
|-
|''[[Wild Grass]]''||''Les Herbes folles''||[[Alain Resnais]]
|-
|''[[La journée de la jupe|Skirt Day]]''||''La Journée de la jupe''||[[Jean-Paul Lilienfeld]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Rapt (2009 film)|Rapt]]''||[[Lucas Belvaux]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Welcome (2009 film)|Welcome]]''||[[Philippe Lioret]]
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[36th César Awards|2011]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Of Gods and Men (film)|Of Gods and Men]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Des hommes et des dieux'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Xavier Beauvois]]'''
|-
|''[[Heartbreaker (2010 film)|Heartbreaker]]''||''L'Arnacœur''||[[Pascal Chaumeil]]
|-
|''[[Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life]]''||''Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque)''||[[Joann Sfar]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Mammuth]]''||[[Benoît Delépine]] and [[Gustave de Kervern]]
|-
|''[[The Names of Love]]''||''Le Nom des gens''||[[Michel Leclerc]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[The Ghost Writer (film)|The Ghost Writer]]''||[[Roman Polanski]]
|-
|''[[On Tour (2010 film)|On Tour]]''||''Tournée''||[[Mathieu Amalric]]
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[37th César Awards|2012]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[The Artist (film)|The Artist]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Michel Hazanavicius]]'''
|-
|''[[The Minister]]''||''L'exercice de l'État''||Pierre Schöller
|-
|''[[Declaration of War (film)|Declaration of War]]''||''La Guerre est déclarée''||[[Valérie Donzelli]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Le Havre (film)|Le Havre]]''||[[Aki Kaurismäki]]
|-
|''[[The Intouchables]]''||''Intouchables''||[[Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Pater (film)|Pater]]''||[[Alain Cavalier]]
|-
|''[[Poliss]]''||''Polisse''||[[Maïwenn]]
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[38th César Awards|2013]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Amour (2012 film)|Amour]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Michael Haneke]]'''
|-
|''[[Camille redouble|Camille Rewinds]]''||''Camille redouble''||[[Noémie Lvovsky]]
|-
|''[[Farewell, My Queen]]''||''Les Adieux à la reine''||[[Benoît Jacquot]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Holy Motors]]''||[[Leos Carax]]
|-
|''[[In the House (film)|In the House]]''||''Dans la maison''||[[François Ozon]]
|-
|''[[Rust and Bone]]''||''De rouille et d'os''||[[Jacques Audiard]]
|-
|''[[What's in a Name? (2012 film)|What's in a Name?]]''||''Le prénom''||Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[39th César Awards|2014]]
| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Me, Myself and Mum]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''Les Garçons et Guillaume, à table!'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Guillaume Gallienne]]'''
|-
|''[[9 Month Stretch]]''||''Neuf mois ferme''||[[Albert Dupontel]]
|-
|''[[Blue Is the Warmest Colour]]''||''La Vie d'Adèle – Chapitres 1 & 2''||[[Abdellatif Kechiche]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Jimmy P.]]''||[[Arnaud Desplechin]]
|-
|''[[The Past (2013 film)|The Past]]''||''Le Passé''||[[Asghar Farhadi]]
|-
|''[[Stranger by the Lake]]''||''L'Inconnu du lac''||[[Alain Guiraudie]]
|-
|''[[Venus in Fur (film)|Venus in Fur]]''||''La Vénus à la fourrure''||[[Roman Polanski]]
|-
! rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |[[40th César Awards|2015]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#eedd82;" |'''''[[Timbuktu (2014 film)|Timbuktu]]'''''|| style="background:#eedd82;" |'''[[Abderrahmane Sissako]]'''
|-
|''[[Love at First Fight (film)|Love at First Fight]]''||''Les Combattants''||[[Thomas Cailley]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Eastern Boys]]''||[[Robin Campillo]]
|-
|''[[La Famille Bélier|The Bélier Family]]''||''La Famille Bélier'' ||[[Éric Lartigau]]
|-
|''[[Hippocrate]]s''||''Hippocrate''||[[Thomas Lilti]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Saint Laurent (film)|Saint Laurent]]''||[[Bertrand Bonello]]
|-
|''[[Clouds of Sils Maria]]''||''Sils Maria''||[[Olivier Assayas]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="8" |[[41st César Awards|2016]]
| colspan="2" |'''''[[Fatima (2015 film)|Fatima]]'''''||'''[[Philippe Faucon]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Dheepan]]''||[[Jacques Audiard]]
|-
|''[[The Measure of a Man (2015 film)|The Measure of a Man]]''||''La Loi du marché'' ||[[Stéphane Brizé]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Marguerite (2015 film)|Marguerite]]''||[[Xavier Giannoli]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Mon roi]]''||[[Maïwenn]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Mustang (film)|Mustang]]''||[[Deniz Gamze Ergüven]]
|-
|''[[Standing Tall (film)|Standing Tall]]''|| ''La Tête haute''||[[Emmanuelle Bercot]]
|-
|''[[My Golden Days]]''|| ''Trois souvenirs de ma jeunesse''||[[Arnaud Desplechin]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="7" |[[42nd César Awards|2017]]
| colspan="2" |'''''[[Elle (film)|Elle]]'''''||'''[[Paul Verhoeven]]'''
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Divines (film)|Divines]]''||[[Houda Benyamina]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Frantz (film)|Frantz]]''||[[François Ozon]]
|-
|''[[The Innocents (2016 film)|The Innocents]]''||''Les Innocentes'' ||[[Anne Fontaine]]
|-
|''[[Slack Bay]]''|| ''Ma Loute''||[[Bruno Dumont]]
|-
|''[[From the Land of the Moon (film)|From the Land of the Moon]]''|| ''Mal de pierres''||[[Nicole Garcia]]
|-
|''[[In Bed with Victoria]]''|| ''Victoria''||[[Justine Triet]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="7" |[[43rd César Awards|2018]]
|'''''[[BPM (Beats per Minute)]]'''''||'''''120 battements par minute'''''||'''[[Robin Campillo]]'''
|-
|''[[See You Up There (film)|See You Up There]]''||''Au revoir là-haut'' ||[[Albert Dupontel]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Barbara (2017 film)|Barbara]]''||[[Mathieu Amalric]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Le Brio]]''||[[Yvan Attal]]
|-
|''[[Patients (film)|Patients]]''|| ''Patients''||[[Grand Corps Malade]] and Mehdi Idir
|-
|''[[Bloody Milk]]''|| ''Petit Paysan''||Hubert Charuel
|-
|''[[C'est la vie! (2017 film)|C'est la vie!]]''|| ''Le Sens de la fête''||[[Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="7" |[[44th César Awards|2019]]
|'''''[[Custody (2017 film)|Custody]]'''''||'''''Jusqu'à la garde'''''||'''[[Xavier Legrand]]'''
|-
|''[[Sink or Swim (2018 film)|Sink or Swim]]''||''Le Grand Bain'' ||[[Gilles Lellouche]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[The Sisters Brothers (film)|The Sisters Brothers]]''||[[Jacques Audiard]]
|-
|''[[In Safe Hands]]''|| ''Pupille''||[[Jeanne Herry]]
|-
|colspan="2"|''[[Guy (2018 film)|Guy]]''||[[Alex Lutz]]
|-
|''[[The Trouble with You]]''|| ''En liberté!''||[[Pierre Salvadori]]
|-
|''[[Memoir of War]]''|| ''La douleur''||[[Emmanuel Finkiel]]
|}

===2020s===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width="100"|Year
!width="300"|English title
!width="300"|Original title
!width="300"|Director
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="7" |2020<br>([[45th César Awards|45th]])
| colspan="2" | '''''[[Les Misérables (2019 film)|Les Misérables]]''''' || |'''[[Ladj Ly]]'''
|-
| colspan="2" | ''[[La Belle Époque (film)|La Belle Époque]]'' || [[Nicolas Bedos]]
|-
| ''[[By the Grace of God (film)|By the Grace of God]]'' || ''Grâce à Dieu'' || [[François Ozon]]
|-
| ''[[The Specials (2019 film)|The Specials]]'' || ''Hors normes'' || [[Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache]]
|-
| ''[[An Officer and a Spy (film)|An Officer and a Spy]]'' || ''J'accuse'' || [[Roman Polanski]]
|-
| ''[[Portrait of a Lady on Fire]]'' || ''Portrait de la jeune fille en feu'' || [[Céline Sciamma]]
|-
| ''[[Oh Mercy!]]'' || ''Roubaix, une lumière'' || [[Arnaud Desplechin]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="5" |2021<br>([[46th César Awards|46th]])
| '''''[[Bye Bye Morons]]''''' || '''''Adieu les cons''''' || '''[[Albert Dupontel]]'''
|-
| ''[[Adolescents (film)|Adolescents]]'' || ''Adolescentes'' || [[Sébastien Lifshitz]]
|-
| ''[[My Donkey, My Lover & I]]'' || ''Antoinette dans les Cévennes'' || Caroline Vignal
|-
| ''[[Love Affair(s)]]'' || ''Les Choses qu'on dit, les choses qu'on fait'' || [[Emmanuel Mouret]]
|-
| ''[[Summer of 85]]'' || ''Été 85'' || [[François Ozon]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="7" |2022<br>([[47th César Awards|47th]])<br><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cesar-awards-2022-nominations-lea-seydoux-adam-driver-1235080474/|title=Lea Seydoux, Adam Driver Among Nominees for France's Cesar Awards|date=26 January 2022|publisher=Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
| '''''[[Lost Illusions (2021 film)|Lost Illusions]]''''' || '''''Illusions perdues''''' || '''[[Xavier Giannoli]]'''
|-
| colspan="2" | ''[[Aline (film)|Aline]]'' || [[Valérie Lemercier]]
|-
| colspan="2" | ''[[Annette (film)|Annette]]'' || [[Leos Carax]]
|-
| ''[[The Divide (2021 film)|The Divide]]'' || ''La fracture'' || [[Catherine Corsini]]
|-
| ''[[Happening (film)|Happening]]'' || ''L'événement'' || [[Audrey Diwan]]
|-
| ''[[Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle]]'' || ''Onoda, 10 000 nuits dans la jungle'' || [[Arthur Harari]]
|-
| ''[[BAC Nord|The Stronghold]]'' || ''BAC Nord'' || [[Cédric Jimenez]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="5" |2023<br>([[48th César Awards|48th]])<br><ref>{{cite news|last1=Roxborough|first1=Scott|last2=Vlessing|first2=Etan|date=24 February 2023|title=César Awards: 'The Night of the 12th' Named Best Picture|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cesar-awards-2023-film-paris-1235333378/|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=26 February 2023}}</ref>
| '''''[[The Night of the 12th]]'''''
| '''{{Lang|fr|La Nuit du 12}}'''
| '''[[Dominik Moll]]'''
|-
| ''[[Forever Young (2022 film)|Forever Young]]''
| ''Les Amandiers''
| [[Valeria Bruni Tedeschi]]
|-
| ''[[Rise (2022 French film)|Rise]]''
| ''En corps''
| [[Cédric Klapisch]]
|-
| ''[[The Innocent (2022 film)|The Innocent]]''
| ''L'Innocent''
| [[Louis Garrel]]
|-
| ''[[Pacifiction]]''
| ''Pacifiction – Tourment sur les îles''
| [[Albert Serra]]
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="5" |2024<br>([[49th César Awards|49th]])<br><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodfellow |first=Melanie |date=2024-01-24 |title='The Animal Kingdom' Leads Nominations For France's 2024 César Awards, Followed By 'Anatomy Of A Fall' – Full List |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/cesars-2024-the-animal-kingdom-leads-nominations-followed-by-anatomy-of-a-fall-1235803267/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
| '''''[[Anatomy of a Fall]]'''''
| '''''Anatomie d'une chute'''''
| '''[[Justine Triet]]'''
|-
| ''[[All Your Faces]]''
| ''Je verrai toujours vos visages''
| [[Jeanne Herry]]
|-
| ''[[The Animal Kingdom (2023 film)|The Animal Kingdom]]''
| ''Le Règne animal''
| [[Thomas Cailley]]
|-
| ''[[The Goldman Case]]''
| ''Le Procès Goldman''
| [[Cédric Kahn]]
|-
| ''[[Junkyard Dog (film)|Junkyard Dog]]''
| ''Chien de la casse''
| Jean-Baptiste Durand
|- style="background:#eedd82;"
! rowspan="5" |2025<br />[[50th César Awards|(50th)]]
| colspan="2" |'''''[[Emilia Pérez]]'''''
|'''[[Jacques Audiard]]'''
|-
|''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (2024 film)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]''
|''Le Comte de Monte-Cristo''
|Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière
|-
|-
|''[[The Marching Band]]''
|''En Fanfare''
|[[Emmanuel Courcol]]
|-
|''[[Misericordia (2024 film)|Misericordia]]''
|''Miséricorde''
|[[Alain Guiraudie]]
|-
|''[[Souleymane's Story]]''
|''L'Histoire de Souleymane''
|[[Boris Lojkine]]
|}

==See also==
*[[Lumière Award for Best Film]]
*[[Louis Delluc Prize#Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film|Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film]]
*[[French Syndicate of Cinema Critics#Best French Film|French Syndicate of Cinema Critics — Best French Film]]
*[[Magritte Award for Best Film]]
*[[European Film Award for Best Film]]
*[[Academy Award for Best Picture]]
*[[BAFTA Award for Best Film]]
*[[David di Donatello for Best Film]]
*[[Goya Award for Best Film]]
*[[Sophia Awards|Sophia Award for Best Film]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.academie-cinema.org/}} 
* [https://www.allocine.fr/festivals/festival-128/palmares/prix-18350725 César Award for Best Film] at ''[[AlloCiné]]''

{{César Award for Best Film}}
{{Césars}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cesar Award For Best Film}}
[[Category:César Awards|Film]]
[[Category:Best Film César Award winners| ]]
[[Category:Awards for best film]]