It is hard to believe, but acclaimed director Claire Denis isn’t as well-liked in her native France as she is with Anglo-Saxon critics in the US and UK.
Denis waited close to 34 years to get back into Cannes competition this past year with “The Stars at Noon”. It’s been very hard for her to crack that festival’s main comp, and she’s usually relegated to the side sections.
Now, she’s been snubbed, again, by the Cesars (French Oscars) for her direction in “Both Sides of the Blade,” which won a big award at Berlin early last year. This goes along well with Denis’ past history with the Cesars, where she’s only been nominated once, for her direction in 1988’s “Chocolat.”
Denis is, arguably, France's most globally-acclaimed active director and she still only has this one César nomination to her name. That means no Directing nods for “35 Shots of Rum,” “Beau Travail,” “The Intruder,” or “White Material.” Go figure.
Even French critics haven’t been as enthusiastic about Denis over the years. It’s been more than 20 years since one of her films reached that elusive 4.0 score on AlloCine (that would be 2002’s “Vendredi Soir”).
I’ve seen every Denis since 1988’s “Chocolat,” and her Cannes and Berlin comp entries were not worthy of her talents. Albeit, these two films do have their fair share of admirers. The French filmmaker is very esoteric, niche if you will. She has her hardcore fanbase and they will like anything she puts out.
Another French filmmaker who isn’t as well-liked in France is Mia Hansen-Løve, whose “One Fine Morning” was completely snubbed this morning as well. Hansen-Løve Has only been nominated once at the Cesars and that was for her feature debut in 2008 (“All is Forgiven”). However, unlike Denis’ 2022 films, “One Fine Morning” was actually one of the best-reviewed movies in the UK/US last year.