This year, the 42nd César ceremony to be held on February 24 in Paris will have no presidency.
In the first place, it was the Franco-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski who was to bear this title. A decision of the Academy of Sciences and Techniques of Cinema, organizer of the César, which had caused controversy, namely that the director of the Vampire Ball is still prosecuted for rape in the United States. A few weeks after his appointment, the artist made the decision to give up the presidency of the ceremony because of the controversy. To the great regret of Alain Terzia, president of the Academy, who had described him as "one of the greatest figures of world cinema, and recognized as such" and who today announced:
"The council of the Academy of Caesar decided that there would be no president. It has not been proposed to anyone for reasons that you will soon find."
With the first César ceremony without a president, this year begins under the sign of controversies related to film ceremonies, with the Casey Affleck case, which is also beginning to make noise on the other side of the Atlantic. The Oscars ceremony which takes place 2 days after that of the Césars leaves to public opinion and the image of its nominees a great role in the presentation of the awards. Bad news for Ben Affleck's brother, caught up in a sexual harassment case in the run-up to the Oscars for which he is nominated for Manchester by the Sea and who unfortunately risks seeing his past steal his trophy…
