The short films at the César, how does it work ?
Short films eligible for the César for Best Short Film and the César for Best Animation (Short Film) must complete the following criteria:
- the total duration of the film is strictly less than 60 minutes;
- the share of French production is bigger than or equal to 30% of total production;
- the operating visa was issued by the CNC “Commission de Classification des Œuvres Cinématographiques” between July 1 and June 30 of the year preceding the Ceremony (example: for the César 2020, the film’s visa must have been issued between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019).
Each year, the Academy sets up a Short Film Committee and an Animation Committee responsible for the selection of the films that will run for the César awards among all the short films that meet the eligibility criteria.
24 films are selected by the Short Film Committee and 12 animated films by the Animation Committee. The selected films are announced by the Academy in September.
How to see the selected films ?
- 5 screening sessions of all the selected short films are organized in November and December at the UGC Odéon cinema in Paris.
- 6 DVDs presenting the Official Short Film Selection eligible for the César for Best Short Film and the César for Best Animation (Short Film) are sent to the members of the Academy within the César DVD Box.
The short films at the César
The Official Selections
The Committees
Two committees selects, among all the short films having obtained a CNC visa between July 1 and June 30 of the year preceding the Ceremony, the films which will compete for the César for Best Short Film and for the César for Best Animated Film (Short Film).
The Short Film Committee is made up of personalities from the short film industry in France who, through their professional activity, watch a large number of short films. The Committee selects 24 short films.
The Animation Committee is made up of personalities from the Animation sector in France who, through their professional activity, watch a large number of short animation films. The Committee selects 12 short films.
The 36 short films selected by the Committees are submitted to the vote of the members of the Académie des César.
After the first voting round:
– 5 films, among the 24 chosen by the Short Film Committee, recording the highest number of votes, are nominated for the César for Best Short Film.
– 4 animated films, among the 12 chosen by the Animation Committee, recording the highest number of votes, are nominated for the César for Best Animation (Short Film).
The 9 films are unveiled during the Press Conference announcing the nominations at the end of January.
How to see the nominated films ?
During the two weeks preceding the end of the second round, the Academy is organizing “l’Année Cinéma César“, two weeks of screenings at Les 3 Luxembourg cinema in Paris of all the films which have received at least one nomination.
A unique opportunity for the members of the Academy but also for the general public to see all the nominated films.
The nominees for the César for Best Short Film 2020
The nominees for the César for Best Animation (Short Film) 2020
A second round of voting enables the members of the Academy to designate, among the 5 nominated short films, the one that will be awarded with the César for Best Short Film, and among the 4 animated short films, the one that will be awarded with the César for Best Animation (Short Film).
How to see the winner short films ?
Each year in June, the Academy organizes the Nuits en Or, a program that brings together all the short films that have won awards from Film Academies around the world, including the two short films that won the César awards.
The winner for the César for Best Short Film 2020
The winner for the César for Best Animation (Short Film) 2020
Download
For more information on the short film selection process and more details on the regulations, download: