Christophe Honore’s ‘Sorry Angel’ Wins France’s Louis Delluc Prize

By Elsa Keslassy

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Christophe Honoré’s drama “Sorry Angel,” which world premiered in competition at Cannes Film Festival, won France’s prestigious Louis Delluc Prize.

Kicking off France’s award season, the prize is chosen by French critics and has been described as the film equivalent to the coveted Goncourt prize for literature.

“Sorry Angel” stars French actors Pierre Deladonchamps as a jaded, HIV-positive 30-something novelist who comes across an enthusiastic aspiring writer, Arthur (Vincent Lacoste), in his early 20s. “Sorry Angel” marks the director’s comeback to Cannes’ competition 11 years after “Love Songs.”

In winning the Louis Delluc Prize, “Sorry Angel” beat out Jacques Audiard’s “The Sisters Brothers,” Emmanuel Mouret’s “Mademoiselle de Joncquières,” Gilles Lellouche’s “Le Grand Bain,” Claire Denis’ “High Life,” Pierre Salvadori’s “En liberté!”, Cedric Kahn’s “La Prière,” Jean-Paul Civeyrac’s “Mes provinciales,” and Emmanuel Finkiel’s “Memoir of War,” which represents France in the foreign-language Oscar race.

Meanwhile, two movies shared the Louis Delluc Prize for best first film: Bertrand Mandico’s “Les Garçons sauvages” and Xavier Legrand’s “Custody,” which won prizes at Venice and San Sebastian, along with a flurry of awards around the world.

Last year’s Louis Delluc Prize was given to Mathieu Amalric’s “Barbara,” which went on to win five Cesar awards.

The Cesar Awards, France’s equivalent to the Oscars, will be hosted on Feb. 22.