Anna Karina, Star of French New Wave Cinema, Dies at 79

1960’s cinema icon, Anna Karina, the French New Wave actress, and the muse of Jean-Luc Godard, has died. She was 79 years old.

Karina’s death was announced by the French culture minister on Twitter on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. According to the French media, the Danish-born actress had cancer and passed away on Saturday.

“Her look was the look of the New Wave. It will remain so forever. Anna Karina radiated. She magnetized the entire world. French cinema has lost one of its legends,” tweeted Culture Minister Franck Riester.

Karina made seven films with Godard, who was her partner at the time. One of the films she starred in was the 1961 “Une Femme Est Une Femme (A Woman Is a Woman).” She played a femme fatale and received the best actress award at the Berlin Film Festival.

Karina starred in other cult Godard films including the 1962 “Vivre Sa Vie (Live Your Life)” and the 1965 “Pierrot Le Fou.” Karina captured film-lovers with her talents and her large blue doe eyes. The French New Wave broke with cinematic conventions for a fresh approach to movie making and keeping with free-spirited themes.

The French actress was born Hanne Karin Blarke Bayer in Denmark, initially, Karina modeled and performed in cabarets before arriving in France. Reportedly, she was renamed and discovered by Coco Chanel before she was discovered by Godard. Additionally, she worked with Luchino Visconti, among other illustrious directors. Later, Karina got behind the camera in 1973 and made her own movie, “Vivre Ensemble (Living Together).”

By Jeanette Vietti

Sources:

Newser: Cinematic Icon Is Dead at 79 Anna Karina was key to the French New Wave
CNN: Anna Karina, star of French New Wave cinema, has died at 79
The New York Times: Anna Karina, Star of French New Wave Cinema, Is Dead at 79

Image Courtesy of bswise’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License