David Fincher to Receive Honorary Cesar Award

The French Film Academy will present filmmaker David Fincher with its highest award, the César d’Honneur for lifetime achievement, at next year’s César Awards, the French equivalent of the Oscars.

Director of se7en, fight club, girl is gone Y The social networkand as director and producer of innovative television series such as house of cards, mind hunter Y love, death and robots — all for Netflix — will be honored at the 48th César Ceremony in Paris on February 24. The show will be broadcast live on the French pay-TV network Canal+

“David Fincher is one of those rare directors whose entire filmography has become iconic over the years,” the French academy said in a statement. “Outstanding technician, a true visionary, his cinema is hypnotic, cerebral, a source of inspiration for countless artists.”

Given Fincher’s close connection to Netflix, the honor could be interpreted as an act of détente between the French academy and the streaming giant. Netflix has been the favorite punching bag of many in the French industry who blame the decline in box office for the increase in online viewing. France still has one of the longest and strictest window structures in the world. Under current guidelines, movies released in theaters typically have to wait 17 months before they can stream online. Netflix’s refusal to commit to theatrical releases of its films in France led to its films being banned from competing at Cannes, France’s main film festival.

But there is arguably no director more associated with Netflix than David Fincher. In addition to his television work, Fincher directed 2020’s Lack for the streaming giant and its next feature film The murdererstarring Tilda Swinton and Michael Fassbender, will also premiere on Netflix globally.

The French academy’s announcement on Friday mentioned Fincher’s Netflix work, but the streamer’s name was conspicuously absent from the statement.