This is a wonderful recognition for Artus. His first feature film, Un P'tit Truc en Plus , has been nominated for a César Award in 2025 in the Best First Film category . The announcement left the director speechless on Wednesday, January 29th.
"It's crazy, it's completely crazy! The beautiful adventure continues around this film. Thank you very much!", he reacted in an Instagram story, before improvising a dance of joy.
A contagious enthusiasm for the film which has enjoyed immense success in theaters , with more than 11 million admissions since its release in 2024. Yet, despite this public enthusiasm, Un P'tit Truc en Plus has received only one César nomination, a surprise to many.
A popular success eclipsed by the Academy?
Although Artus's comedy largely dominated the French box office in 2024, the César Academy preferred to highlight films more rooted in auteur cinema , such as The Count of Monte Cristo (14 nominations), L'Amour ouf (13 nominations) or Emilia Pérez (12 nominations).
This relative oversight might disappoint the film's many viewers, but not Artus , who prefers to savor this unique nomination:
“It’s thanks to you, thanks to my wonderful actors, actresses and my splendid team. Thank you!”
A message that echoes his commitment throughout the promotion of the film, notably during the Cannes Film Festival, where he denounced the initial refusal of fashion houses to lend luxury outfits to his actors with disabilities.
A ceremony expected on February 28
Artus will therefore be competing against Louise Courvoisier's Vingt Dieux , Julien Colonna's Le Royaume , Agathe Riedinger's Diamant brut , and Jonathan Millet's Les Fantômes . The winner will be announced at the 50th César Awards ceremony , which will be held on February 28th at the Olympia , presided over by Catherine Deneuve.
Whether or not he leaves with the statuette, Artus can already congratulate himself on having left his mark on the cinematic year and having contributed to a better representation of disability on screen.
