The Star of France Who Sings
On 22 October, one of the finest actresses in European cinema, the Frenchwoman Catherine Deneuve, turned 80. Over her career, she starred in an immense number of films, collaborating with the greatest directors of her time – from Roman Polanski, Jacques Demy, and Buñuel, to François Truffaut and François Ozon. In 2022, at the 79th Venice Film Festival, the actress was awarded the honorary 'Golden Lion' for her contribution to cinema.
Catherine Deneuve's personal life is a refined portrait of the classic French beauty. Although the actress was officially married only once – to the British photographer David Bailey – she has children from long-term relationships with Roger Vadim and Marcello Mastroianni. Her list of romantic entanglements also includes director François Truffaut, Gérard Depardieu, and a PR romance with Alain Delon, which was initially planned as additional publicity for their joint film The Policeman, but rumours suggest it evolved into something more.
Catherine Deneuve is not only famed for her vivid romances, roles in European cinematic masterpieces, prestigious awards, and titles, but also for her impeccable political stance. Unlike her former lover Gérard Depardieu, who in his oscillations between affection for Russia and public provocation went as far as obtaining Russian citizenship, Deneuve unequivocally condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and, on numerous occasions, used her public influence to show support for the Ukrainian people and its culture.
In March 2024, at Paris Fashion Week, Catherine Deneuve attended the Loewe and Saint Laurent shows, wearing a brooch in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. In 2023, at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, the actress also supported Ukraine by reciting Lesya Ukrainka’s poem Hope during the opening ceremony. And in 2022, at the annual Venice Film Festival on the island of Lido, Deneuve appeared in a blue shirt embroidered with the Ukrainian flag.
"I am very much aware, as are many people, why I wore it (the Ukrainian flag) to the press conference. My mind and spirit are with the Ukrainians every day," the actress said in a comment to the tabloid Deadline.
Additionally, Catherine Deneuve is the official ambassador of the Ukrainian fundraising platform United24, launched in May 2022, which aims to unite public figures and global celebrities in supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian occupiers.
For her active civic stance, in September 2023, Catherine Deneuve was awarded the Ukrainian Order of Princess Olga, Third Class – for her significant personal contribution to strengthening international cooperation, supporting Ukraine’s state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and promoting the Ukrainian state worldwide.
Among Catherine Deneuve’s many landmark films, it is not hard to notice that her multifaceted talent shines brightest in those where the actress not only acts but also sings.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964
A musical melodrama by Jacques Demy with music by French composer Michel Legrand, and the winner of the 1964 Palme d’Or. The scenes from this opera-like film, which contains no spoken dialogue, became some of the most quoted in world cinema, as did the main melody of this touching melodrama. At the heart of the plot are two lovers – Guy and Geneviève – who are about to part ways. The young man is sent to serve in Algeria, and his girlfriend swears eternal fidelity to him, but circumstances and the long separation threaten to extinguish even the brightest and purest love.
Dancer in the Dark, 2000
In contrast to the light and uplifting melodrama The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Lars von Trier's musical drama, the final film in his "Golden Heart" trilogy, mercilessly grates on the nerves and emotions of viewers like a steamroller. The film also won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and Björk’s song, which accompanied her leading role in the drama, was nominated for an Oscar. In this film about an immigrant who is losing her sight and escapes from harsh reality into her musical fantasies, Catherine Deneuve plays the role of the protagonist’s friend, with whom they work together at an industrial plant in the American heartland.
8 Women, 2002
A comedic detective with musical elements by the flamboyant French director François Ozon, bringing together the cream of the female part of French cinema, for which the film was awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. The plot revolves around the murder of the head of a large family at Christmas in a mansion in the French countryside. Under one roof in the house are eight ambitious and eccentric women – from the murdered man’s student daughter to his lover and servant – trying to figure out which of them stabbed their beloved father, husband, and master in the back. In addition to Catherine Deneuve, the musical starred such renowned French actresses as Fanny Ardant, Ludivine Sagnier, Virginie Ledoyen, Danielle Darrieux, Isabelle Huppert, and Emmanuelle Béart.