At the end of 1895 in France, world cinema was born in a Parisian cafe on Kapucinov Boulevard. The ancestors were the Lumiere brothers, the younger - the inventor, the elder - a great organizer. At first, French cinema surprised viewers with stunt films, almost devoid of script. And only after the Second World War, cinema began to take shape as art. There were directors, screenwriters, French actors and French actresses. Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Bridget Bardot, Annie Girardeau - with these actresses, real French cinema began.
Start
The names of French actresses were mentioned in newspapers and magazines, were well-known to everyone. People were impatiently waiting for the release of the new film with a favorite in the lead role. Journalists created special sections in their publications, in which already well-known French actresses gave lengthy interviews, thereby gaining popularity. Huge new cinema halls were built all over France, movie studios appeared one after another, and competition was already beginning between them. The most beautiful French actresses were invited to the main roles, and the performers of the supporting roles also tried to show their talent and please the public.
Development
Cinema of France, literally before our eyes, became a powerful industry, with huge financial opportunities. Without exception, all French actresses of the 20th century experienced the effect of material incentives when the directors tried to lure the most successful movie stars to their side. Rates were rising, fees were being revised on the go, and movie studios even sometimes crashed if a new film did not give enough box office, and this happened quite often. Currently, French actresses of the 21st century, such as Vanessa Paradis, Audrey Tautou, Marion Cotillard, Laetitia Casta, are trying to play roles in films of an intellectual sense. Far in the past, the actress's desire to immediately achieve commercial success remained, today the creative component of the stars of modern cinema is increasingly coming to the fore. French actresses rarely act in other countries, since they are not always satisfied with the level of directing at foreign film studios.
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot (full name Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot) has long been considered a European sex symbol, an analogue of the American film actress Marilyn Monroe. In 1952, Bridget starred in her first role, which went unnoticed by both critics and the public. The success of the young actress awaited after the screening in 1956 of the film "And God Created a Woman." The director of the picture was the spouse Bridget, director Roger Vadim, whom she married when she was 18 years old. The film made a splash with its defiant frankness, but was banned from showing by the Catholic Church due to erotic scenes. Of the subsequent works of the actress, the role of Babette in the film "Babette goes to war" is most famous, the hairstyle of the heroine has become the ultimate dream for hundreds of thousands of girls around the world. On account of Bridget about 50 films, she starred in Hollywood, in the movie "Sweet Brigitte", paired with Jimmy Stewart. In 1973, at the age of 40, the actress announced the end of her career and took up the noble task of saving animals.
Annie Girardeau
Annie Girardot, the most popular movie actress of the 50-60s of the 20th century. In her youth, she dreamed of becoming a nurse, but the desire to sing and play on stage was stronger. Annie entered the conservatory. After graduation, in 1954, the girl was invited to Comedy Francaise, and after some time, the famous director Jean Cocteau offered Annie a role in the play Typewriter. Girardot's debut exceeded all expectations, and she was declared the best dramatic actress of all post-war time. Then began a career in cinema, but this did not like the direction of the Comedie Francaise, in which the actress was still working. Girardot was offered a lucrative contract, but she nevertheless left the theater. The peak of fame for the young actress came at the end of the 50s, and in 1960 Annie played the role of Nadi in the film "Rocco and His Brothers", where Renato Salvatore, who later became her husband, was also occupied. Exactly 10 years later, in 1970, Annie Girardeau, after appearing on the screen of the stunning drama of the film "Die from Love", received the title of the most popular actress in French cinema.
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a cult film actress of the sixties of the last century. The love and recognition of the public brought her the role of Genevieve in the film "Cherbourg Umbrellas", created by director Jacques Demy in 1964. The musical melodrama did not leave the screens for a long time, and Catherine Deneuve instantly became a movie star. The film won the Golden Palm Branch prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Then Catherine played a major role in Roman Polansky's film "Disgust." In 1967, Deneuve experienced a terrible tragedy - her older sister Francoise Dorleac, also a film actress , died in a car accident. The sisters starred in the musical Girls from Rochefort. The popularity of Catherine Deneuve grew, invitations from American producers literally fell on her. However, the Frenchwoman was in no hurry to accept tempting offers from Hollywood. But many other famous French actresses did not refuse to tour overseas. The personal life of the film actress was closely associated with only two men. This is directed by Roger Vadim and Italian film actor Marcello Mastroianni, from whom Deneuve has two children, son Christian and daughter Kiara Mastroianni.
Michel Mercier
Actress Michelle Mercier (full name Joslyn Yvonne Rene Mercier) is the idol of millions. Fame brought her the role of Angelica in a multi-part film based on the novel by the four Golon. As a child, Michelle was fond of dancing, and so seriously that at the age of eighteen she was accepted into the ballet troupe of the Opera Theater in Nice. However, the success of the young ballerina was not accompanied, and the girl began to study acting. Beautiful appearance and natural charm did their job, and Michelle soon made her debut in the film "Turning the Handle" - an action-packed detective story. This was followed by roles in several films that were not successful. And in 1964, the finest hour of the young beautiful actress came, she was invited to the role of Angelica. During the period from 1964 to 1968, five films about Angelica appeared on the screen. These are “Angelica, the Marquise of Angels”, “Magnificent Angelica”, “Angelica and the King”, “Indomitable Angelica” and “Angelica and the Sultan”. In the Soviet box office, some of these films went through ruthless censorship with the removal of entire episodes, as the State Committee considered it impossible to show frankly erotic scenes.
Fanny ardan
One of the most popular actresses in French cinema, Fanny Ardant (Fanny Marguerite Judith Ardant), was born in the city of Saumur on the banks of the Loire. The childhood of the future movie star passed in ordinary games and classes at school. Then young Fanny entered the University of Provence and after successfully graduating, she received a political science diploma. But the girl’s soul was already drawn to theatrical art. At university, Fanny studied at the courses of actors, and this played a decisive role in her future destiny. In 1974, a debut on the theater stage took place, and in 1979 the young actress played her first role in the movie. Just two years later, Fanny Ardan played a major role in the psychological drama, the movie "The Neighbor." The deeply tragic plot of the film allowed the actress to fully reveal her dramatic talent. Not all French actresses have such abilities. On the set of the film, Ardant became close to the director Francois Truffaut, the result of this love affair was the birth of Josephine's daughter. The creative statistics of the actress Fanny Ardant includes more than 60 films with her participation. Good knowledge of the English language opened the way for the French movie star to Hollywood, where she starred in several films.
Audrey Tautou
French film actress Audrey Tautou grew up in a family of doctors. Her main childhood interest was biology, the girl spent hours with butterflies and bugs. When Audrey grew up, her parents sent her to a theatrical art studio, and after graduating from the lyceum, they organized a training course at the Paris Theater School. The future movie star successfully mastered playing the piano, and soon decided to devote herself completely to cinema. Audrey made her debut in the television movie Heart of the Target. Then she starred in the series, where she had to be content with secondary roles. The actress received worldwide fame after the screening of the film "Amelie", in which she played a major role.
Sophie marceau
Sophie Marceau, a French film actress and singer, is at the top of all possible ratings characterizing young talents. In the movie, Sophie made her debut at age 14, when out of many thousands of applicants, she was chosen for the role in the film "Boom". The picture was a resounding success, and the girl instantly became famous. From now on, the whole life of the young actress was devoted to cinema. Along with working on the set, Sophie Marceau tried herself in vocal art. She even released a solo album with her songs, which, however, failed miserably. And today, Sophie, like other French actresses, is entirely devoted only to cinema.