Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2020 is an award-worthy affair. The 25th installment of Film at Lincoln Center and UniFrance’s ever-popular series, which runs March 5-15, 2020, is screening nine films nominated for César Awards, France’s Oscar equivalent.

This year’s pulse-taking survey presents 22 films that showcase France’s thriving film industry and its contributions to advancing the art form. Dominated by female-centric storylines, the 2020 program includes romances, coming-of-age stories, farces, family dramas, thrillers, historical fiction, and forays into the supernatural. All films in the series are being introduced to New York audiences for the first time.

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s The Truth

The series’ opening night film reflects the West’s growing interest in Asian cinema and Asian auteurs. Before Bong Joon Ho scooped up Cannes’ Palme d’Or for Parasite (2019), Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda turned the spotlight on Eastern cinema with his Cannes win for Shoplifters in 2018. Now, Kore-eda has directed his first French-language film, The Truth (2019). Starring Juliette Binoche, Catherine Deneuve, and Ethan Hawke, Kore-eda’s dysfunctional family drama opens Rendez-Vous on March 5.

Kore-eda might be new to Rendez-Vous, but there are many returnees. Quentin Dupieux, aka Mr. Oizo, is back with Deerskin (2019). Starring Jean Dujardin and Adéle Haenel, Dupieux’s latest provides an original spin on the mid-life crisis movie. Rebecca Zlotowski returns with An Easy Girl (2019), a Rohmeresque coming-of-age drama. And, series alumni Safy Nebbou and Pascal Bonitzer are back with taut, jealousy-fueled dramas. Binoche shines in Nebbou’s Who You Think I Am (2019), and ghosts deliver farewells in Bonitzer’s Spellbound (2019).

Rendez-Vous is getting in the voting spirit for 2020. The series is introducing an Audience Award. Sponsored by AirFrance, the award allows patrons to cast a ballot for their favorite film screening in the program.

As for the César Awards, this year’s ceremony brings up the rear of the 2020 awards season and takes place on Friday, February 28. And while the show’s governing body (who resigned last week) drew the ire of women’s rights groups for nominating Roman Polanski’s An Officer and a Spy (2019), let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. This year’s other nominees still represent the best in contemporary French cinema and deserve recognition. Below are the nine films screening in the Rendez-Vous lineup with César nominations.

César Award Nominees

Alice and the Mayor (2019)

https://youtu.be/Z2vVLSaHz94

Having its premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight, Nicolas Pariser’s dialogue-rich second feature explores the clash between politics and idealism. When a mayor (Fabrice Luchini) loses his ability to come up with new ideas, he brings in Alice (Anaïs Demoustier), an academic, to help get his brain juices flowing again. Demoustier is up for a César Award for Best Actress.

Screenings:
Saturday, March 7 at 1pm (Q&A with Nicolas Pariser)
Wednesday, March 11 at 9:30pm

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The Dazzled (2019)

https://youtu.be/P1x1PFMPRG4

Sarah Suco’s directorial debut, The Dazzled (2019), is a coming-of-age story about a 12-year-old girl skeptical of the practices of the Catholic commune she lives in with her family. Céleste Brunnquell is nominated for a César Award for Most Promising Actress for her performance as Camille.

Screenings:
Sunday, March 8 at 6:30pm (Q&A with Sarah Suco)
Friday, March 14 at 4:15pm

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Joan of Arc (2019)

https://youtu.be/GCGkZ92cpcg

Landing the number two spot on John Waters’ favorite films of 2019, Joan of Arc (2019) is Bruno Dumont’s reimagining of the medieval French heroine’s tragic tale. And while it serves as a sequel to Dumont’s musical Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc (2017), the new film is fine viewing all on its own. Joan of Arc (2019) is in the running for a César Award for Best Costume.

Screenings:
Wednesday, March 11 at 6:15pm (Q&A with Bruno Dumont)
Friday, March 13 at 1:30pm

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On a Magical Night (2019)

https://youtu.be/xB-guPG0X2w

Christophe Honoré returns to Rendez-Vous with a playful farce about a couple that has come to a crossroads in their marriage. Chiara Mastroianni delivers an award-winning performance as Maria, a law professor who has a penchant for sleeping with her students. She stars alongside her real-life ex-husband Benjamin Biolay, and Vincent Lacoste (Amanda (2018), The Freshman (2018)). Mastroianni is nominated for a César Award for Best Actress. (Update 2/27: We have updated the trailer with Strand Releasing’s official US version)

Screenings:
Friday, March 6 at 8:45pm (Q&A with Chiara Mastroianni)
Monday, March 9 at 4:15pm

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Papicha (2019)

https://youtu.be/MTlrOULY5ss

Mounia Meddour sets her first feature during the time of the Algerian Civil War. Nedjma, a student interested in fashion design, rejects rising religious conservatism. As an act of resistance, she decides to stage a fashion show. Meddour is up for a César Award for Best First Feature, while Lyna Khoudri, who plays Nedjma, is nominated for Most Promising Actress.

Screenings:
Friday, March 6 at 1:15pm
Thursday, March 12 at 6:15pm (Q&A with Mounia Meddour)

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Perfect Nanny (2019)

https://youtu.be/t3WgJTY5vVI

Based on Leïla Slimani’s Goncourt prize-winning novel, Lucie Borleteau’s Perfect Nanny (2019) is a psychological thriller about a nanny who becomes unglued. Karin Viard, who plays the nanny, is nominated for a César Award for Best Actress.

Screenings:
Monday, March 9 at 6:15pm (Q&A with Lucie Borleteau)
Wednesday, March 11 at 1:45pm

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Proxima (2019)

https://youtu.be/8SFhBakU7A0

Eva Green plays an astronaut who leaves her young daughter to pursue her dream of space travel in Alice Winocour’s Proxima (2019). The only woman selected for the mission, Green’s character believes she must hide any signs of weakness; especially after her captain (Matt Dillon) makes sexist remarks. Green’s commanding performance has earned her a César Award nomination for Best Actress. Legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto provides a wonderfully atmospheric score.

Screenings:
Saturday, March 7 at 6:15pm (Q&A with Alice Winocour)
Tuesday, March 10 at 9:15pm

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School Life (2019)

https://youtu.be/21pJdYW8n0g

Following their collaboration on Step by Step (2016), Grand Corps Malade and Mehdi Idir return with School Life, a dramedy about the issues facing France’s education system. Zita Hanrot (Paul Sanchez Is Back! (2018)) stars as Samia, an optimistic new vice principal. Newcomer Liam Pierron, who stars as an intelligent yet disillusioned student, is up for a César Award for Most Promising Actor. (Unfortunately, the only trailer available at press time is in French)

Screenings:
Sunday, March 8 at 1pm (Q&A with Mehdi Idir)
Saturday, March 9 at 4pm

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The Specials (2019)

https://youtu.be/gRLC6syOqDE

Directed by Oliver Nakache and Éric Toledano (The Intouchables (2011)), The Specials (2019) is up for eight Cesar Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. The film, based on real-life people, centers on two men, one who runs a shelter for autistic youths and the other who mentors underprivileged young people. Vincent Cassel and Reda Kateb star.

Screenings:
Saturday, March 14 at 4pm
Sunday, March 15 at 8:45pm

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Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2020 Trailer

https://youtu.be/6bnbxG00y3g

For more information on Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2020 (including this year’s free talks), visit FLC’s website. Tickets are on sale now.

UPDATE 3/4/2020: UniFrance has suspended international travel for Rendez-Vous with French Cinema festival guests due to health concerns related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Screenings will still take place. You can read more about how this impacts the series here.

Photo above, from l to r, Papicha, Joan of Arc, Alice and the Mayor, Proxima, On a Magical Night, The Specials