When I was in Paris in October you could not escape the posters for Maiwenn’s Polisse which premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. The film was made for about $7 million and it has already grossed almost $20 million in France where it actually beat The Adventures of Tin Tin for two weeks. It is now rolling out through other territories and will be released in the US by Sundance Selects.

Maiwenn is included in the five directors vying for France Lumiere Award. The film is also up for best screenplay (but not best picture.)

Other women nominated include Berenice Bejo — The Artist; mother-daughter duo Catherine Deneuve and Chiara Mastroianni — The Beloved; Valerie Donzelli — War is Declared; Clotilde Hesme –Angele and Tony; Marina Fois and Karin Viard — Polisse.

Most Promising Actress: Alice Barnole, Adele Haenel and Celine Sallette — House of Tolerance; Annamaria Vartolomei — My Little Princess; Zoe Heran –Tomboy.

Best Francophone Film outside of France include Nadine Labaki’s Franco-Lebanese-Italian co-production Where Do We Go Now?

The Lumiere Awards ceremony will be held on Jan. 13 in the Hotel de Ville in Paris.

France’s Lumiere Awards Nominations Announced (Hollywood Reporter)

Polisse posts strong French box office (Variety)