Sarkozy lauds Marion Cotillard
2008-02-25 13:05
Paris - President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday congratulated French actress Marion Cotillard for the "realism, emotion and passion" of her Oscar-winning performance as the legendary singer Edith Piaf.
"I wish to warmly congratulate Miss Marion Cotillard, who has just been awarded the best actress Oscar," Sarkozy said in a statement, describing the 32-year-old's triumph as proof of "the excellence of French cinema".
"Marion Cotillard embodies an Edith Piaf who moves us by her realism, emotion, passion.
"Through her performance, we relive the journey of the one who brought nobility and authenticity to the world of chanson, and who also brought France and America closer together," he said, referring to Piaf's enduring success in the United States.
The Parisian actress scooped the award for her portrayal of the chanteuse in bio-pic La Vie En Rose, following in the footsteps of Italian legend Sophia Loren, the 1962 best actress winner.
Cotillard became only the second woman to win the best actress award for a non-English speaking performance, in one of the highlights of an otherwise predictable Oscars.
She had already won honours at the Golden Globes and Baftas earlier this year and at the French Cesars on Friday.