he was discovered by director André Téchiné, who cast him in the lead role of his World War II drama film Strayed in 2003, starring opposite Emmanuelle Béart as a mysterious teenager who protects her family. For his breakthrough performance in the film, Ulliel was nominated for a César Award for Most Promising Actor, and won the Étoiles d'Or for Best Male Newcomer. A Very Long Engagement, English-language films and stage debut (2004–2012) Ulliel had his first English-speaking role in Peter Greenaway's 2004 film The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 2: Vaux to the Sea, where he played a French man named Leon. In 2004, he starred in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's World War I drama A Very Long Engagement, co-starring with Audrey Tautou and Marion Cotillard, and won a César Award for Most Promising Actor for his performance as soldier Manech Langonnet, the fiancé of Mathilde, Tautou's character, who disappeared in the trenches in 1917 and whom she refuses to believe is dead and starts investigating what happened to him. That same year, he also starred in Rodolphe Marconi's drama The Last Day, opposite Mélanie Laurent and Nicole Garcia. In 2005, Ulliel played Izik in Richard Dembo's World War II drama Nina's House. In 2006, he appeared opposite Marianne Faithfull and Elias McConnell in Gus Van Sant's "Le Marais" segment of the anthology film Paris, je t'aime, in which he played Gaspard, a young gay man flirting with a male print shop worker played by McConnell. In 2007, Ulliel starred in the title role in the movie Hannibal Rising, his major English-language film where he portrayed the young Hannibal Lecter. That same year, he also played the title role in Laurent Boutonnat's historical film Jacquou le Croquant, based on the 1899 novel by Eugène Le Roy about a peasant who leads a revolt against the Count of Nansac. In 2008, he starred as François, a scientist researching black holes in the sci-fi film The Third Part of the World, directed by Eric Forestier. He also starred as Joseph, the son of Isabelle Huppert's character in Rithy Panh's drama The Sea Wall, based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Marguerite Duras. In 2009, Ulliel starred opposite Jean Reno in the thriller Inside Ring (also known as Ultimate Heist), directed by Laurent Tuel. He also portrayed the angel Xas in Niki Caro's English-language romantic drama film The Vintner's Luck, based on