GirlyS MInD: Jean Seberg (1938

Παρασκευή 28 Οκτωβρίου 2016

Jean Seberg (1938 - 1979)

The American actress stars in her first film, in 1957, when landing the title role, after a much-publicized contest, in Otto Preminger's Saint Joan. A part followed by the scandalous and modern Bonjour Tistesse, in 1958 that contributes to the making of the young woman's fame. In 1959, she stars in Jean-Luc Godard's landmark New Wave film, A Bout de Souffle in which her hip, spontaneous and careless performance alongside her iconic style bring her to international success. Although American, Jean Seberg embodies a typical ethereal and nonchalant ideal French personality. In 1964, she appears in Robert Rossen's Lilith that is probably her most memorable and personal role. Despite her popularity as a cinema star, she also becomes a cultural figure of the 1960s thanks to her marriage with author, Romain Gary and her active political militant activities, mostly towards African Americans she supports alongside the Black Panthers which owes her to become one of the FBI's 'bête noire'. Emotionally unstable, the actress does not accept the miscarriage of her baby, in 1970 and the FBI's harassment. Almost every year on the anniversary of her miscarriage she will attempt suicide until her dead body is found on the back seat of her car, in 1979. Her dramatic personal life and death echo her character, Patricia's words in A Bout de Souffle: 'I don’t know if I’m unhappy because I’m not free, or if I’m not free because I’m unhappy.'

Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in A bout de souffle directed by Jean-Luc Godard, 1960. Photo by Raymond Cauchetier