Anna Karina

Danish-born Anna Karina became one of the most recognizable faces of 1960s cinema, first as a model and then as an actress in the French New Wave. She was born Hanne Karin Blarke Bayer in Frederiksberg, Denmark, and later became French as well as Danish. Karina's breakthrough came through her collaboration with Jean-Luc Godard, appearing in six of his films, including The Little Soldier, A Woman Is a Woman, and Bande à part. For A Woman Is a Woman, she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival. Her acting career spanned six decades, from 1959 until her death in 2019.

Beyond acting, Karina worked as a director, writer, musician, and model. In 1972, she set up a production company for Vivre ensemble, her directorial debut, which screened at the 26th Cannes Film Festival. She later directed the French-Canadian film Victoria in 2008. She also wrote several novels and performed as a singer.

Karina's legacy in film is often described in glowing terms. The New York Times called her "one of the screen's great beauties and an enduring symbol of the French New Wave." She was also referred to as the "effervescent free spirit of the French New Wave." Standing 5'7" with auburn hair and brown eyes, she brought a distinctive presence to her roles. She passed away on 14 December 2019 at the age of 79, leaving behind a diverse body of work that continues to be celebrated.