9 9 3 ▁French ▁ep ic ▁film ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁novel ▁by ▁É mile ▁Z ola . ▁It ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁Claude ▁Ber ri , ▁and ▁stars ▁G ér ard ▁Dep ard ieu , ▁Mi ou - M i ou ▁and ▁Rena ud . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁expensive ▁movie ▁ever ▁produced ▁in ▁France . ▁The ▁film ▁had ▁ 6 , 1 6 1 , 7 7 6 ▁adm issions ▁in ▁France ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁most ▁attended ▁film ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁ ▁It ▁won ▁the ▁César ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Cin emat ography ▁and ▁Best ▁Cost ume ▁Design , ▁and ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁Best ▁Film , ▁Best ▁Act ress , ▁Best ▁Support ing ▁A ctor , ▁Best ▁Support ing ▁Act ress , ▁Best ▁director , ▁Best ▁Writing , ▁Best ▁Sound , ▁Best ▁Edit ing , ▁Best ▁Music ▁and ▁Best ▁Production ▁Design . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁French ▁entry ▁for ▁the ▁Best ▁Foreign ▁Language ▁Film ▁at ▁the ▁ 6 6 th ▁Academy ▁Awards , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁accepted ▁as ▁a ▁nom ine e . ▁ ▁The ▁film , ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century , ▁closely ▁follows ▁the ▁plot ▁of ▁the ▁novel , ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁real istic ▁story ▁of ▁a ▁coal min ers ' ▁strike ▁in ▁northern ▁France ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s . ▁ ▁Cast ▁ ▁Mi ou - M i ou ▁as ▁Ma he ude ▁Rena ud ▁as ▁Ét ienne ▁L ant ier ▁Jean ▁Car met ▁as ▁Vincent ▁Ma