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Twilight star Kristen Stewart has become the first American actress to win a Cesar award, the so-called French Oscars.
Kristen Stewart has won best supporting actress award for her role in film drama Clouds of Sils Maria.
Clouds of Sils Maria is the latest in a series of films featuring the California-born Kristen Stewart to earn critical acclaim.
The big winner of last night ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris was Timbuktu, which won seven awards including best film and director.
The movie depicts life in northern Mali under the control of Islamist militants, and is competing for best foreign film at Sunday’s Oscars.
Accepting the prize, Kristen Stewart shouted: “I love you Juliette” in French to her co-star Juliette Binoche.
She later paid tribute to French filmmakers.
There also was recognition for another American actor, Sean Penn, who got a lifetime achievement award.
In his acceptance speech, Timbuktu director Abderrahmane Sissako called France a “magnificent country” for its response to the deadly Islamist attacks last month.
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The 40th annual Cesar Film Awards winners:
Best Film
Timbuktu, director: Abderrahmane Sissako
Best Actress
Adèle Haenel, Les Combattants
Best Adapted Screenplay
Cyril Gely, Volker Schlöndorff – Diplomatie
Best Actor
Pierre Niney, Yves Saint Laurent
Best Foreign Film
Mommy, director: Xavier Dolan
Best Director
Abderrahmane Sissako, Timbuktu
Best Supporting Actress
Kristen Stewart, Clouds Of Sils Maria
Best Short Film
La Femme De Rio, dirs: Emma Luchini, Nicolas Rey
Best Documentary
Salt Of The Earth, directors: Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
Best Editing
Nadia Ben Rachid, Timbuktu
Best Set Design
Thierry Flamand, La Belle Et La Bête
Best Original Screenplay
Abderrahmane Sissako, Kessen Tall – Timbuktu
Best Costumes
Anaïs Romand, Saint-Laurent
Best Newcomer (Male)
Kevin Azaïs, Les Combattants
Best Animated Film
Minuscule – La Vallée Des Fourmis Perdues, directors: Thomas Szabo and Hélène Giraud
Best Animated Short
Les Petits Cailloux, director: Chloé Mazlo
Best Score
Amine Bouhafa, Timbuktu
Best Supporting Actor
Reda Kateb, Hippocrate
Best Debut Feature
Les Combattants, director: Thomas Cailley, prod: Pierre Guyard
Best Cinematography
Sofian El Fani, Timbuktu
Best Sound
Philippe Welsh, Roman Dymny, Thierry Delor – Timbuktu
Best Newcomer (Female)
Louane Emera, La Famille Bélier
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Mali’s army has been fighting Islamist rebels in the northern city of Timbuktu after a suicide bomber attempted to attack an army checkpoint.
The bomber was killed before he could detonate his bomb on Saturday evening.
This was followed by militant attempts to infiltrate the city.
The army, backed by French air power, then moved against the Islamists.
Mali’s army has been fighting Islamist rebels in the northern city of Timbuktu after a suicide bomber attempted to attack an army checkpoint
Earlier this year French troops pushed Islamists out of much of northern Mali but sporadic fighting has continued.
“The fighting is heavy and it is ongoing,” Malian army Capt. Modibo Naman Traore told the Reuters news agency, adding that the army was in the process of “encircling” the militants.
At least one Malian soldier and two civilians were wounded in Saturday’s fighting according to the city’s mayor.
The number of casualties following Sunday’s fighting remains unknown.
The people of Timbuktu had barricaded themselves in their homes after a group of Islamists infiltrated a western neighborhood of the city overnight.
The French left the Malian army on the front line for hours before they intervened and finished the job.
Several residents reported a French jet firing on rebel positions.
Another militant attack on the northern town of Gao was repelled on Monday.
Islamist rebels seized much of northern Mali a year ago after a military coup in the capital Bamako.
France intervened militarily in January amid fears that the militants were preparing to advance on Bamako. It currently has about 4,000 troops in Mali.
Since the intervention began, major cities including Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu have been recaptured but fighting is still continuing in desert mountains.
Malian army and troops from several African countries, including 2,000 from Chad, have also been involved in the fighting.
France plans to withdraw its troops from Mali in April, with West African countries expected to take over in the run-up to elections due in July.
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France’s President Francois Hollande is visiting Mali, three weeks after French-led troops launched an offensive to oust Islamist rebels from the country’s north.
Francois Hollande was welcomed by dignitaries and residents in Timbuktu, six days after the city was recaptured.
He is expected to thank the French soldiers and stress the need for an African force to replace them swiftly.
Meanwhile, the UN has warned of the risk of reprisal attacks against Tuareg and Arab communities in northern Mali.
The UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, said there had been serious allegations of human rights violations committed by the Malian army, including summary executions and disappearances.
There had also been reports of incidents of mob lynching and looting of properties belonging to Arab and Tuareg communities, which had been accused of supporting armed Islamist groups, Adama Dieng added.
“I call on the Malian army to discharge its responsibility to protect all populations, irrespective of their race or ethnicity,” he said.
The allegations came as heavily-armored columns of French and Malian troops continued their advance in northern Mali.
They are attempting to secure the north-eastern city of Kidal, the militants’ last stronghold, having captured the airport on Wednesday.
France’s President Francois Hollande is visiting Mali, three weeks after French-led troops launched an offensive to oust Islamist rebels from the country’s north
Francois Hollande flew into the central town of Sevare on Saturday morning, accompanied by his ministers of defence, foreign affairs and development. Mali’s interim President, Dioncounda Traore, met them at the airport.
They then flew to Timbuktu’s airport before being driven to the 700-year-old mud mosque of Djingareyber and the Ahmed Baba Institute, where fleeing militants set fire to about 2,000 priceless manuscripts.
Thousands of locals gathered in the city’s main square to welcome Francois Hollande. Many changed “Vive la France” and praised the president for ordering the military intervention in France’s former colony.
“The women of Timbuktu will thank Francois Hollande forever,” 53-year-old Fanta Diarra Toure told the AFP news agency.
“We must tell him that he has cut down the tree but still has to tear up its roots,” she added, referring to the Islamist militants.
Speaking on Friday before he flew to Mali, Francois Hollande said he wanted “to express to our soldiers all our support, encouragement and pride”.
“I’m also going to ensure that African forces come and join us as quickly as possible and to tell them we need them for this international force,” he added.
He said he wanted Mali’s transitional government to restore democracy soon and begin a political dialogue with opposition groups in the north.
However, this is not quite a “mission accomplished” moment for Francois Hollande, because the Islamist militants remain a threat.
US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday that the French-led forces had recaptured the major population centres “must faster” than he had expected, but warned that they now had to ensure long-term security.
“They have made tremendous progress, I give them a lot of credit,” he told the AFP news agency.
“But the challenge now is to make sure that you can maintain that security and that you are not overstretched and that, ultimately, as you begin to pull back, that the other African nations are prepared to move in and fill the gap of providing security.”
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The UK has decided to deploy about 330 military personnel to Mali and West Africa to support French forces, No 10 has said.
This includes as many as 40 military advisers who will train soldiers in Mali, and 200 British soldiers to be sent to neighboring African countries, also to help train the Malian army.
French-led forces are continuing their offensive against Islamist militants who seized northern Mali last year.
International donors have pledged $455.53 million to tackle militants.
The 330 military personnel comprises of 200 to West African nations, 40 military advisers to Mali, 70 on an RAF Sentinel surveillance aircraft and 20 on a C17 transport plane. None will have a combat role.
The UK has decided to deploy about 330 military personnel to Mali and West Africa to support French forces
A conference taking place in Brussels is expected to decide which countries will contribute troops for an EU military training mission for Mali and discuss details of the mission.
Meanwhile, French-led troops are consolidating their position in the historic Malian city of Timbuktu after seizing it from Islamist extremists. They are then expected to focus on the last rebel stronghold, Kidal. They seized Gao, northern Mali’s biggest city, on Saturday.
Islamist militants took the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month.
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French-led troops in Mali have taken control of the airport in the key northern city of Timbuktu, French military officials say.
The troops encountered no resistance as they headed towards the city, a senior officer with the Malian army told AFP news agency.
French and Malian troops have been pushing north in their offensive against Islamist rebels.
On Saturday, they seized Gao, the most populous city in northern Mali.
Thousands of people poured out into the streets to celebrate the arrival of the troops.
French-led troops in Mali have taken control of the airport in the key northern city of Timbuktu
Islamists seized the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month.
The advance comes as African Union leaders are meeting to discuss sending more troops to Mali.
“We control the airport at Timbuktu,” a senior Malian army officer told the AFP.
“We did not encounter any resistance.”
A military spokesman in Paris told the AFP that the French and Malian troops now control access to the city as well as the territory between Timbuktu and Gao.
Once Timbuktu is secured, the French-led troops are expected to focus on the last rebel stronghold, Kidal, near the border with Algeria.
Kidal – home of the head of Ansar Dine, the main militant group in northern Mali – was bombed overnight by French forces, Malian officials say.
Once Kidal is taken, the first phase of the French operation will be over.
The second phase will be to track down the militants to their desert hideouts, which could prove a much more difficult task.
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French-led forces in Mali are advancing on the key northern city of Timbuktu, as they press on with their offensive against Islamist rebels.
On Saturday Malian and French forces seized Gao, another key northern city.
The advance comes as African Union leaders are meeting to discuss sending more troops to Mali.
Islamists seized the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month.
Late on Saturday French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Malian and French troops would arrive “near Timbuktu soon”.
Overnight they secured Gao – northern Mali’s most populous city- after special forces captured the airport and a strategic bridge to the south.
Most militants appear to have fled into desert hide-outs and the hunt for them may prove more difficult once all major towns are secure.
Troops from Niger and Chad are to assist Malian forces in further securing the town.
African Union leaders are holding a summit in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, as members move to deploy troops to help the French-led operation there.
African states have pledged nearly 5,700 troops to support French and Malian forces in their campaign.
Only a small part of the African force has so far deployed.
French-led forces in Mali are advancing on the key northern city of Timbuktu, as they press on with their offensive against Islamist rebels
A number of West African countries on Saturday raised the total number of troops pledged to 5,700. Separately, Chad has said it will send 2,000 soldiers.
Meanwhile, the US said it would provide mid-air refuelling for French warplanes.
The Pentagon said it had also discussed plans for the US to transport troops to Mali from countries including Chad and Togo.
Islamists seized a vast area of northern Mali last year and have tried to impose strict Sharia, or Islamic law.
Some 3,700 French troops are engaged in Operation Serval, 2,500 of them on Malian soil.
France intervened militarily as the Islamists advanced further south. It said that the capital, Bamako, was under threat.
As French and Malian troops moved into Gao, Malian officials spoke of scenes of joy, but also some looting.
“Possibly at a certain point the enemy in front of us was underestimated,” Malian Foreign Minister Tieman Coulibaly said ahead of the summit in Addis Ababa.
“But everyone has seen that this terrorist group intends to spread its criminal purpose over the whole of Mali, and eventually target other countries.”
The AU has recommended civilian observers monitor the human rights situation in the areas which have come back under the control of the Malian government.
Human rights groups have accused the Malian army of committing serious abuses.
Treasures of Timbuktu:
- Timbuktu was a centre of Islamic learning from the 13th to the 17th Centuries
- 700,000 manuscripts survive in public libraries and private collections
- Books on religion, law, literature and science
- Added to UNESCO world heritage list in 1988 for its three mosques and 16 cemeteries and mausoleums
- They played a major role in spreading Islam in West Africa; the oldest dates from 1329
- Islamists destroyed mausoleums after seizing the city
