The French awards given for accomplishments in cinema by the l'Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma (AATC), established by Georges Cravenne in 1975, after he lamented that France did not have an equivalent to the Oscars. The first César Awards ceremony took place on 3 April 1976, and they recognize Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, and a host of similar facets of the filmmaking process.
Historical Dictionary of French Cinema. Dayna Oscherwitz & Mary Ellen Higgins. 2007.