Roman Polanski has been named best director at France's César awards for his political thriller The Ghost Writer.

The film won three additional prizes for its screenplay, music and editing at the French film awards Friday.

"I finished this film while in jail, so I would like to thank all the people who helped me and supported me until the very end," said Polanski, who was jailed in Switzerland in 2010 over charges laid in the U.S. more than 30 years ago.

Of Gods and Men, directed by Xavier Beauvois, won the award for best picture. It is the story of French monks in Algeria, who decide to stay and operate a clinic despite threats from Muslim extremists. It also was a Grand Prize-winner at Cannes.

Heartbeats, by Quebec's Xavier Dolan, was overlooked in the foreign film category, losing to David Fincher's The Social Network.

The best actor prize went to Eric Elmosnino for his portrayal of French singer Serge Gainsbourg. The biopic Gainsbourg also won best debut film.

Edgar Ramirez won the breakthrough actor César for his portrayal of terrorist Carlos the Jackal in Carlos.

U.S. director Quentin Tarantino won an honorary César for lifetime achievement. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)Sara Forestier was named best actress for The Names of Love, a comedy about an activist who converts political opponents to her cause by sleeping with them. It also won best original screenplay.

Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist, which was overlooked for an Academy Award Sunday, won the best animated film César, the first ever presented by organizers.

Oceans, by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, was named best documentary.

U.S. director Quentin Tarantino received an honorary César at the Paris event, with an homage featuring clips from his films. Diane Kruger and Christopher Waltz, who starred in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, presented him with the award.