Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard, Kristen Stewart Among France's Cesar Awards Nominees

'12 Years a Slave,' 'Boyhood' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' are among the best foreign film nominees at the French Academy's 40th annual ceremony

France's Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for this year's Cesar Awards — the country's equivalent to the Oscars — in a morning ceremony at the famed Fouqet's restaurant on the Champs-Elysees.

Bertrand Bonello's Saint Laurent led with 10 nominations, including best film, best actor for Gaspard Ulliel and best director. The competing biopic Yves Saint Laurent from director Jalil Lespert received seven, including a nomination for best actor for Pierre Niney, though Lespert himself was left out.

The Oscar-nominated Timbuktu received eight, including the best film, director (for Abderrahmane Sissako) and original screenplay categories.

Thomas Cailley's Love at First Fight was the surprise of the morning, earning nine nominations for the director's first film, which was a hit when it debuted in Cannes Director's Fortnight sidebar.

Clouds of Sils Maria, which took home the prestigious Louis Delluc prize in December, earned six nominations, including best director for Olivier Assayas.

Academy president Alain Terzian read the list of nominees after lauding the 40th anniversary of the awards. Among this year's nominees are Kristen Stewart in the supporting actress category for her role in Sils Maria and best actress nominees Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Catherine Deneuve (In the Courtyard) and Juliette Binoche (Sils Maria).

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The nominees for best foreign film were 12 Years a Slave, Boyhood, Ida, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Two Days, One Night, Cannes jury prize winner Mommy and Palme d'Or winner Winter Sleep.

Sean Penn will receive the Academy's honorary Cesar this year, organizers announced Monday. Alain Resnais will get a tribute at the awards ceremony.

The 40th annual awards will be held on Feb. 20 — just two days ahead of the Oscars — at Paris' Chatelet Theatre. Beloved comedian Dany Boon will serve as chairman of the ceremony, with Edouard Baer set to host the show after Laurent Lafitte canceled for scheduling reasons.

Here are nominees in some key categories:

Best Film

Love at First Fight

Eastern Boys

The Belier Family

Hippocrates

Saint Laurent

Sils Maria

Timbuktu

Best Director

Celine Sciamma for Girlhood

Thomas Cailley for Love at First Fight

Robin Campillo for Eastern Boys

Thomas Lilti for Hippocrates

Bertrand Bonello for Saint Laurent

Olivier Assays for Sils Maria

Abderrahmane Sissako for Timbuktu

Best Actress

Juliette Binoche for Sils Maria

Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night

Catherine Deneuve for Dans la Cour

Emilie Dequenne for Not My Type

Adele Haenel for Love at First Fight

Sandrine Kiberlain for Elle l’Adore

Karin Viard for The Belier Family

Best Supporting Actress

Marianne Denicourt for Hippocrates

Claude Gensac for Lulu in the Nude

Izia Higelin for Samba

Charlotte Le Bon for Yves Saint Laurent

Kristen Stewart for Sils Maria

Best Actor

Niels Arestrup for Diplomatie

Guillaume Canet for Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart

Francois Damines for The Belier Family

Romain Duris for The New Girlfriend

Vincent Lacoste for Hippocrates

Pierre Niney for Yves Saint Laurent

Gaspard Ulliel for Saint Laurent

Best Supporting Actor

Eric Elmosnino for The Belier Family

Guillaume Gallienne for Yves Saint Laurent

Louis Garrel for Saint Laurent

Reda Kateb for Hippocrates

Jeremie Renier for Saint Laurent

Best Original Screenplay

Thomas Cailley, Claude le Pape for Love at First Fight

Victoria Bedos, Stanislas Carre de Malberg, Eric Lartigau and Thomas Bidegain for The Belier Family

Thomas Lilti, Baya Kasmi, Julien Lilti and Pierre Chosson for Hippocrates

Oliver Assayas for Sils Maria

Abderrahmane Sissako, Kessen Tall for Timbuktu

Best Adapted Screenplay

Mathieu Almaric, Stephanie Cleau for The Blue Room

Cyril Gely, Volker Schlondorff for Diplomatie

Solveig Anspach, Jean-Luc Gaget for Lulu in the Nude

Lucas Belvaux for Not My Type

Cederic Anger for Next Time I’ll Aim for the Heart

Best Costume

Pierre-Yves Gayraud for The Beauty and the Beast

Carine Sarfati for The Connection

Anais Romand for Saint Laurent

Pascaline Chavanne for The New Girlfriend

Madeline Fontaine for Yves Saint Laurent

Best Set Decoration

Thierry Flamand for The Beauty and the Beast

Jean-Philippe Moreau for The Connection

Katia Wyszkop for Saint Laurent

Sebastian Birchler for Timbuktu

Aline Bonetto for Yves Saint Laurent

Best Cinemaphotography

Christophe Beaucarne for The Beauty and the Beast

Josee Deshaies for Saint Laurent

Yorick le Saux for Sils Maria

Sofian el Fani for Timbuktu

Thomas Hardmeier for Yves Saint Laurent

Best Editing

Lilian Corbielle for Love at First Fight

Christel Dewynter for Hippocrates

Frederic Baillehaiche for Party Girl

Fabrice Rouad for Saint Laurent

Nadia Ben Rachid for Timbuktu

Best Sound

Pierre Andre and Daniel Sobrino for Girlhood

Jean-Jacques Ferran, Nicolas Moreau, Jean-Pierre Laforce for Bird People

Jean-Luc Audy, Guillaume Bouchateau, Niels Barletta for Love at First Fight

Nicolas Cantin, Nicolas Moreau, Jean-Pierre Laforce for Saint Laurent

Philippe Welsh, Roman Dymn, Thierry Delor for Timbuktu

Best Animated Film

Le Chant de la Mer

Jack and the Cuckooclock Heart

Miniscule

Best First Film

Love at First Fight by Thomas Cailley

Elle l’Adore by Jeanne Herry

Fidelio by Lucie Borleteau

Party Girl by Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger and Samuel Theis

May Allah Bless France by Abd al Malik

Best New Actress

Lou de Laage for Breathe

Louane Emera for The Belier Family

Josephine Japy for Breathe

Ariane Labed for Fidelio

Karidja Toure for Girlhood

Best New Actor

Kevin Azais for Love at First Fight

Ahmed Drame for Les Heritiers

Kirill Emelyanov for Eastern Boys

Pierre Rochefort for Going Away

Marc Zinga for May Allah Bless France