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French film star Anouk Aimée dies aged 92

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French film star Anouk Aimée, renowned for her work with many of Europe’s most influential directors, has passed away at the age of 92. Aimée, whose career spanned eight decades, starred in numerous films, including Claude Lelouch’s “A Man and a Woman,” which earned her an Oscar nomination. She died at her Paris home on Tuesday, as confirmed by Sébastien Perrolat of the TimeArt agency to the AFP news agency. Her daughter, Manuela Papatakis, shared that she was by her mother’s side at the time of her death. Papatakis expressed her grief on Instagram, posting a black-and-white photograph of Aimée and mentioning that she, her daughter Galaad, and her granddaughter Mila, were deeply saddened by Aimée’s passing.

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati paid tribute to Aimée on X, praising her as a world-famous icon and a prominent figure in French cinema who worked with major directors like Jacques Demy, Claude Lelouch, and Federico Fellini.

Born Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus in Paris in 1932, Aimée’s father was Jewish, though she was raised Catholic. After the German occupation of Paris in 1940, her family sent her to the countryside and changed her name for safety. Aimée debuted on screen as a teenager in the 1946 film “La Maison Sous La Mer” and adopted her character’s name, Anouk. French poet and screenwriter Jacques Prevert suggested she change her surname to Aimée, meaning “loved.”

Aimée was in high demand for Italian and French films. Her career took off with Fellini’s acclaimed 1960 film “La Dolce Vita” and continued with “8½” in 1963. However, it was her role in Lelouch’s 1966 film “A Man and a Woman” that cemented her status as an icon of romantic cinema. This performance earned her a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and an Oscar nomination, making her the first actor nominated for an Oscar for a French-language performance. Although she did not win, the film received the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Throughout her career, Aimée starred in 70 films and received an honorary César Award in 2002. In 2019, she attended the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Lelouch’s sequel to “A Man and a Woman,” where she reunited with her co-star Jean-Louis Trintignant.

Renowned for her beauty and acting talent, Aimée was named one of the “100 sexiest stars in film history” by Empire magazine in 1995. She had one daughter, Manuela, with film director Nico Papatakis, one of her four husbands. She was also married to composer Pierre Barouh and British actor Albert Finney. Aimée spent her later years in the Montmartre district of Paris.

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Mona Lisa: Protesters throw soup at da Vinci painting

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Environmental protesters targeted the iconic Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, throwing soup at the protected artwork to emphasize their call for the right to “healthy and sustainable food.” The 16th Century masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, housed behind protective glass, remained undamaged despite the unconventional protest.

Video footage captured two female protesters, affiliated with a group called Riposte Alimentaire (Food Counterattack), tossing liquid at the painting and raising questions about the perceived prioritization of art over the fundamental right to nutritious food. The protesters, clad in T-shirts reading “food counterattack,” stood in front of the artwork, asserting concerns about the agricultural system and the challenges faced by farmers.

The Louvre promptly assured the public that the painting was unharmed, thanks to the security measures in place. The Salle des Etats, where the Mona Lisa is displayed, was evacuated, and the room reopened to visitors after cleaning at 11:30 local time. The museum announced its intention to file a complaint regarding the incident.

The group Riposte Alimentaire released a statement, posted on social media platform X, explaining that the protest was part of their broader efforts to integrate “food into the general social security system.” They argued that the current food model stigmatizes the most vulnerable and fails to respect the fundamental right to food. The group proposed the issuance of a monthly food card worth €150 (£128) for citizens to use on food.

France’s Minister for Culture, Rachida Dati, condemned the act, stating that “no cause” could justify targeting the Mona Lisa, emphasizing the painting’s status as part of the heritage for future generations. The incident occurred amid ongoing farmer protests in Paris, where demonstrators sought relief from rising fuel costs and simplified regulations, blocking key roads in and out of the city.

The Mona Lisa, housed in the Louvre since the early 1950s, has been shielded behind safety glass. In 2019, the museum installed a more transparent form of bulletproof glass to enhance its protection. This incident echoes a 2022 event when an activist threw cake at the painting, urging people to “think of the Earth.” The Mona Lisa’s history includes a notorious theft in 1911, with recovery two years later after the perpetrator attempted to sell it in Italy.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright