“A Prophet” wins French film industry top prize, sweeps other categories

“A Prophet” wins French film industry top prize

PARIS — The French film industry has showered honors on director Jacques Audiard’s Oscar-nominated “Un Prophete” (”A Prophet”), giving the movie France’s coveted Cesar award for best movie.

Audiard was named best director and star Tahar Rahim best actor at Saturday’s awards ceremony.

Isabelle Adjani received the best actress award for her role in “La journee de la jupe” (”The Day of the Skirt”).

“A Prophet,” which was nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign-language film category, collected nine awards in the annual French film industry competition. The movie won the second-place prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The prison drama tells the story of an illiterate inmate who educates himself. During his six-year incarceration, he becomes involved in drug and smuggling circles. Rahim, a young Frenchman of North African origin, plays the film’s main character, Malik.

Clint Eastwood’s film “Grand Torino” won the Cesar for best foreign film.