Jane Birkin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jane Birkin

Birkin in 1970
Born
Jane Mallory Birkin

(1946-12-14)14 December 1946
Marylebone, London, England
Died16 July 2023(2023-07-16) (aged 76)
Paris, France
Resting placeMontparnasse Cemetery, Paris
Citizenship
  • United Kingdom
  • France
EducationUpper Chine School, Isle of Wight
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active1965–2023
Spouse
(m. 1965; div. 1969)
Partners
Children
Parent
Relatives

Jane Mallory Birkin OBE (/ˈbɜːrkɪn/, French: [dʒɛn malɔʁi biʁkin]; 14 December 1946 – 16 July 2023) was a British and French actress and singer. She had a decade-long musical and romantic partnership with Serge Gainsbourg. She also had a prolific career as an actress, mostly in French cinema.

A native of London, Birkin began her career as an actress, appearing in minor roles in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966), and Kaleidoscope (1966). In 1968, she met Serge Gainsbourg while co-starring with him in Slogan, which marked the beginning of a years-long working and personal relationship.[1] The duo released their debut album Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg (1969), and Birkin also appeared in the Je t'aime moi non plus (1976) under Gainsbourg's direction. Though she mostly worked in France where she had become a major star, Birkin occasionally appeared in English-language films such as the Agatha Christie adaptations Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Under the Sun (1982), as well as James Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998).

After separating from Gainsbourg in 1980, Birkin continued to work as both an actress and a singer, appearing in various independent films and recording numerous solo albums. In 2016, she starred in the Academy Award-nominated short film La femme et le TGV, which she said would be her final film role.

Birkin lived mainly in France from the late 1960s onwards, and would acquire French citizenship.[2][3] She was the mother of photographer Kate Barry, with her first husband John Barry; actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, with Serge Gainsbourg; and musician Lou Doillon, with Jacques Doillon. In addition to her acting and musical credits, she lent her name to the Hermès Birkin handbag.

Early life[edit]

Jane Mallory Birkin was born on 14 December 1946,[4] in Marylebone, London.[5] Her mother, Judy Campbell, was an English actress, best known for her work on stage. Her father, David Birkin, was a Royal Navy lieutenant commander and World War II spy. Her brother is screenwriter and director Andrew Birkin.[6][7] Birkin was raised in Chelsea,[8] and described herself as a "shy English girl".[9] She said that she was bullied for her looks; "I suffered a lot because of my physique, especially at boarding school. The others said I was half boy, half girl. I had no breasts, not even a developing bosom. It was horrible."[10][11] She said she wanted to be as pretty as Jean Shrimpton, calling herself a "bad version" of her.[12]

Her middle name "Mallory" was invented by her mother, partly inspired by the name of Arthurian author Sir Thomas Malory.[13]

Birkin attended Miss Ironside's School in Kensington.[14][15] She was also educated at Upper Chine School, Isle of Wight.[11] In 2021, she said she started taking sleeping pills at 16 and never stopped. At the age of 17, she met composer John Barry, whom she married in 1965, and had her first daughter, Kate, in 1967. After Barry left for the United States, the couple divorced in 1968 and Birkin returned to live with her family in London.[10] She began auditioning for film and television roles in England and in Los Angeles.[9]

Career[edit]

Early acting credits[edit]

Birkin emerged in the Swinging London scene of the 1960s, appearing in an uncredited part in The Knack ...and How to Get It (1965).[16] She had a small role in Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966) as a blonde model. At the time, the movie gained notoriety because of Birkin's nude scene, which she later said she did because John Barry had told her she would not have the courage to show up naked on set.[17][10] Birkin also said that on the day of her audition, she had no idea who Antonioni was.[10] She had a more substantial role in the counterculture era film Kaleidoscope (1966) and appeared as a fantasy-like model in the psychedelic film Wonderwall (1968).

In 1968, she auditioned for the lead female role in the French film Slogan (1969).[18] Though she did not speak French[19] she won the role, co-starring alongside Serge Gainsbourg, and she performed with him on the film's theme song, "La Chanson de Slogan", the first of many collaborations between the two. After filming Slogan, Birkin relocated to France permanently.[20] She had a role in the French thriller La Piscine (1969) and said that the movie had enabled her to stay in France after finishing Slogan: "The film saved me and enabled me to stay in France. I just finished Slogan and was due to go back to England."[10] Though her heavy accent in French eventually did prevent her from getting some roles, it turned out to be an asset in her career, as French audiences found it charming. She later stated: "Without my accent, I would have had a different career."[10]

Collaborations with Serge Gainsbourg[edit]

In 1969, Gainsbourg and she released the duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you ... me neither"). Gainsbourg had originally written the song for Brigitte Bardot. Birkin said it was "jealousy" that drove her to sing the song.[10] It caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness, and was banned by radio stations in Italy,[21] Spain, and the United Kingdom.[22]

[It is] very flattering to have the most beautiful songs, probably, in the French language written for [you]. [But] how much talent did I really have? Perhaps not that much.

— Birkin reflecting on her working relationship with Gainsbourg, 2013[23]

"Je t'aime" made UK chart history in that on 4 October 1969 and the following week on 11 October, the song was at two different chart positions, despite being the same song, the same artists, and the same recorded version, the only difference being that they were on different record labels. It was originally released on the Fontana label, but due to the controversy, Fontana withdrew the record, which was then released on the Major Minor label. Because Fontana singles were still in the shops, along with the Major Minor release, on 4 October 1969, the Major Minor release was at number three and the Fontana single at number 16. Also at that time, it was the biggest-selling single ever for a completely foreign-language record. Birkin appeared on Gainsbourg's 1971 album Histoire de Melody Nelson, portraying the Lolita-like protagonist in song and on the cover.[24] Reflecting on being a muse and collaborator of Gainsbourg's, Birkin commented: "[It is] very flattering to have the most beautiful songs, probably, in the French language written for one. [But] how much talent did I really have? Perhaps not that much."[23]

During the 1970s she released three albums, all mainly written by Gainsbourg: Di doo dah (1973), Lolita Go Home (1975) and Ex fan des sixties (1978).

She took a break from acting in 1971–1972, but returned as Brigitte Bardot's lover in Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973).[25] She called Bardot "fabulously beautiful", saying: "I observed Bardot in the tiniest detail to find a flaw in her. Her mouth, her nose, her skin, her hair... She was fabulously beautiful."[10] The same year, she had a supporting role in the horror film Dark Places with Christopher Lee and Joan Collins.[26] In 1975, she appeared in Gainsbourg's first film as a director, Je t'aime moi non plus, which created a stir for its frank examination of sexual ambiguity, and was banned in the United Kingdom by the British Board of Film Classification. For this performance, she was nominated for a Best Actress César Award.[25]

Later performances and recordings[edit]

Birkin in 1985
Birkin at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival

In 1978, Birkin modeled in trade advertisements for Lee Cooper jeans.[27]

Gainsbourg kept writing her music after their breakup, including Baby Alone in Babylone (1983) and Amours des feintes (1990). The latter was the last album he wrote before his death in 1991, and the former was their first collaboration after their separation in 1980. Birkin has said: "This was the album of the break-up when everything changed. All of a sudden, Serge got me to sing of his wounds and his feminine side. It was very unsettling to sing about the wounds that you have triggered." While recording the album, she sang as high as she could and said she had become "tired of singing as the little girl who excites gentlemen in trains". She also chose "Les Dessous chics", as "a portrait of Serge." She said: "It represents the modesty of feelings, made up outrageously in blood red. Les Dessous chics means keeping one's true feelings deep inside, as fragile as a silk stocking."[10] Lost Song (1987) was also written by Gainsbourg.

She starred in two films directed by Jacques Doillon: as Anne in La fille prodigue (The Prodigal Daughter, 1981) and as Alma in La pirate (1984, nominated for a César Award). She said The Prodigal Daughter (1981) was the first time her performance was well received and "It touched [her] deeply to be taken seriously". Before working with Doillon she didn't know about his work and said: "No one had ever offered me a part like that or asked me to have a nervous breakdown". She cited this film as her favorite, saying: "Piccoli and I were really good. If I die, I would like the film to be shown on television, even at midnight." Upon screening at Cannes, it caused a scandal, which led to an invitation for Birkin from Patrice Chéreau to star on stage in La Fausse suivante by Marivaux at Nanterre. Recalling her experience on the stage, she said: "That was my first stage experience, which finally gave me the courage to sing at the Bataclan."[10]

She worked with director Herbert Vesely on Egon Schiele Exzess und Bestrafung in 1980, appearing as the mistress of Austrian artist Egon Schiele, played by Mathieu Carrière. She then appeared in the Agatha Christie films Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Under the Sun (1982). Jacques Rivette collaborated with her in Love on the Ground (1983) and La Belle Noiseuse (1991, Nominated Césars best supporting actress). In 1985, she co-starred with John Gielgud in Leave All Fair (1985). She won Female Artist of the Year in the 1992 Victoires de la Musique.[25]

She appeared in Merchant Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998) (which also used her song "Di Doo Dah") and in Merci Docteur Rey (2002). The end title song for Le Divorce (2003) featured her singing "L'Anamour", composed by Gainsbourg.[28] In 2006, she played the title role in Elektra, directed by Philippe Calvario in France.[25]

Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on French producer Hector Zazou's album Strong Currents (2003).[25] The album brought together a number of well-known soloists, features her alongside Laurie Anderson, Irene Grandi and Melanie Gabriel, among others. Jane Birkin and Melanie Gabriel covered songs by Nina Hynes on this album.

The cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? (2002) by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy features her image and backing vocals by her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg.[25] In 2006 she recorded and released the album Fictions,[20] and in 2010, recorded a duet, "Marie," with Brazilian singer Sérgio Dias, which appeared on We Are the Lilies, an album by Dias and French band Tahiti Boy and the Palmtree Family [fr]; the album also featured contributions from Iggy Pop and others.[29]

Birkin performing in Warsaw in 2017

In 2016 Birkin appeared in an ongoing campaign for Yves Saint Laurent shot by Hedi Slimane, which featured various female musicians, including Marianne Faithfull, Courtney Love, and Joni Mitchell.[27] The same year, she had the lead role in La femme et le TGV, a short film directed by Swiss filmmaker Timo von Gunten.[30] The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.[31] In a 2017 interview, Birkin stated that La femme et le TGV would be her final acting performance, and that she had no plans to return to acting.[30]

On 24 March 2017, Birkin released Birkin/Gainsbourg: Le Symphonique, a collection of songs Gainsbourg had written for her during and after their relationship, reworked with full orchestral arrangements.[8] In September 2017, she performed live in Brussels to promote the album.[8]

Personal life[edit]

On 16 October 1965, Birkin married British composer and conductor John Barry, 13 years her senior, in a private ceremony at Chelsea Register Office, London.[32] They met in 1964 when Barry cast Birkin in his musical Passion Flower Hotel. Their daughter was photographer Kate Barry (1967–2013).[33] Their marriage ended in 1968.[34] She said she was insecure during the relationship and "couldn't believe that this sophisticated, talented genius chose [her] and not any of the other girls." She did not want him to see her with her "tiny, piggy eyes" so she would sleep with an eye pencil under her pillow and put it on if he woke up in the night. He eventually went to the United States and left Birkin with their daughter in England.[10]

Birkin had a romantic and creative relationship with French musician Serge Gainsbourg, 18 years her senior, whom she met on the set of Slogan in 1968. They were together for 12 years[35] but never married, despite rumours and misreporting to the contrary.[36][37][38]

She eventually became a French citizen.[2][3]

Birkin with her second daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg in 2010

In 1971, Birkin and Gainsbourg had a daughter, actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. They separated in 1980, due to Gainsbourg's alcoholism and violence.[39][40][41][42] She described him as "a very difficult man to live with",[43] and said during recording sessions he would scream at her and hit her with a ruler if she could not sing a part.[44][45] She took credit for helping him develop his style later in life, saying: "It's all about me, he listened to me a lot."[10]

On 4 September 1982, she gave birth to her third daughter, Lou Doillon, from her relationship with director Jacques Doillon.[46] She said: "Meeting Jacques was a real turning point in my career. In my private life, after I left Serge, Jacques and I lived together for thirteen years, and had Lou."[10] She said she was surprised and happy to find out that Doillon was not "an old man". They separated in 1993. The Observer reported in 2007 that Doillon "could not compete with her grief for Gainsbourg" (who died in 1991), and that she had lived alone since their separation.[47] Birkin said that Doillon lost interest in casting her in his movies, and she felt "pain for Jacques going off with all these young girls making all these films all the time". Later, Birkin had a relationship with French writer Olivier Rolin.[48]

In 2002, she was diagnosed with leukaemia and underwent rounds of treatment.[49] Birkin often spent time with her six grandchildren.[50][51] Her daughter, Kate Barry, died in December 2013 after falling from a fourth floor apartment in Paris.[52]

Birkin mainly resided in Paris from the late 1960s onwards.[53][8] She was described as "a fixture of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood on the Left Bank".[54] In 2020, recalling 1970s Paris, she said: "it was a time of great innocence, and I don't think social problems were as they are today."[43] On 6 September 2021, it was reported that Birkin was doing well after having a stroke.[55]

Death[edit]

The grave of Kate Barry and Jane Birkin in Cimetière Montparnasse in Paris

On 16 July 2023, Birkin was found dead at home in Paris. She was 76.[2] No cause of death was disclosed. The premiere of the documentary Jane by Charlotte, about Birkin's relationship with her daughter Charlotte, on 8 July 2021, was one of her last public appearances. Her funeral took place at the Church of Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement of Paris on the morning of July 24. After the funeral, her remains were cremated at the crematorium of Père Lachaise Cemetery and then, her ashes were interred at Montparnasse Cemetery, in the grave of her daughter, Kate Barry, and in the same cemetery where Gainsbourg was buried.[56]

Many fans gathered to watch the ceremony on a large screen outside of the church. France's First Lady Brigitte Macron and Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak, Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroianni; Vanessa Paradis; Maïwenn; Sandrine Kiberlain; Carole Bouquet; Charlotte Rampling and Anthony Vaccarello were among the attendees.[57]

Philanthropy[edit]

Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International on immigrant welfare and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Countries she visited included Bosnia, Rwanda, Israel, and Palestine.[58]

Political views and activism[edit]

As a child, Birkin demonstrated in the streets of London against capital punishment. In the 1970s, she campaigned for the right to abortion and appeared at the Bobigny trial [fr], in support of four women accused of having helped the high school student Marie-Claire Chevalier to have an abortion following a rape.[59]

Birkin campaigned against the far-right in France, participating in a protest denouncing the qualification of Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second round of the 2002 presidential election. In 2017, she performed at a free concert at the Place de la République organised in opposition to Marine Le Pen in the 2017 presidential election.[59]

Birkin also demonstrated support for immigrants, denouncing the French government's policy towards undocumented migrants in 2010. The same year, she protested outside the residence of the Minister of Immigration, Éric Besson. She also announced that she was sponsoring a young Congolese who had requested political asylum. In 2015, she marched in Paris in support of refugees.[59]

In September 2018, following the resignation of French environment minister Nicolas Hulot, Birkin was one of the 200 artists and scientists who signed an open letter published on the front page of the daily Le Monde titled "The Greatest Challenge in the History of Mankind", which urged politicians to act "firmly and immediately" in fighting climate change and the "collapse of biodiversity".[60]

In late 2022, Birkin, among other French women, cut her hair in support of Iranian women and girls who had been killed in protests at the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by Iranian morality police.[61][62][63]

Awards and honours[edit]

Birkin won the "Best Actress" award at the 1985 Orleans Film Festival for Leave All Fair. The jury of the 1985 Venice Film Festival recognised Birkin's performance in Dust as amongst the best of the year, but decided not to award a best actress prize because all of the actresses they judged to have made the best performances were in films that won major awards. Dust won the Silver Lion prize.[64]

Birkin at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival

In the diplomatic and overseas list of the 2001 Birthday Honours, Birkin was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire "for services to acting and UK-French cultural relations".[65] She received the Order from the Prince of Wales in April 2002.[66]

In 2013, she and her daughter, Lou Doillon, were appointed to the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres as Chevaliers.[67] In 2022, she was raised to the highest rank in the order – Commandeur.[68] She was also awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite in 2004 and 2015.[69]

In 2018, she was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun in the Spring Conferment for her efforts in promoting cultural exchanges between Japan and France.[70]

In popular culture[edit]

Birkin basket[edit]

Birkin was described as having carried a hand-woven straw basket from Castro Marim in Algarve, Portugal, everywhere she went[71]—from the market,[72] to nightclubs,[73] to formal events—until her husband Jacques Doillon intentionally ran over it with his car in the early 1980s.[74][75][76][77]

Birkin bag[edit]

Hermès ostrich Birkin bag

In 1983, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. Birkin had just placed her straw basket in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the floor, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked.[78] In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her: the Birkin bag,[79] based on a 1982 design. She used the bag initially, but later changed her mind because she was carrying too many things in it: "What's the use of having a second one?" she said laughingly. "You only need one and that busts your arm; they're bloody heavy. I'm going to have an operation for tendinitis in the shoulder."[80] Nonetheless, Birkin did use the bag for some time.[81] The Birkin bag has, over the years, become a status symbol, with prices ranging from US$10,000 to $500,000.[82]

In 2015, Birkin wrote a public letter to Hermès requesting her name be removed from the bag,[82] stating she wanted the company to "debaptise the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place", referring to the cruel methods used to acquire the skins for the crocodile variant of the bags.[83] Hermès announced soon afterwards that it had satisfied Birkin with new reassurances on this.[84]

Discography[edit]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1965 The Knack ...and How to Get It Girl on a motorbike Uncredited[99]
1966 The Idol A blonde Uncredited[99]
1966 Kaleidoscope Exquisite Thing [100]
1966 Blowup The Blonde [100]
1968 Wonderwall Penny Lane [100]
1969 La Piscine Penelope [100]
Les Chemins de Katmandou Jane [100]
Slogan Evelyne [100]
1970 Trop petit mon ami Christine Mars / Christine Devone [100]
Cannabis Jane Swenson Also known as: French Intrigue[99][100]
May Morning Flora Finlake Also known as: Alba Pagana[100]
1971 Devetnaest djevojaka i jedan mornar Milja [99]
Romance of a Horsethief Naomi [99][101]
1972 Trop jolies pour être honnêtes Christine [102]
1973 Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye Corringa [103]
Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman Clara [104]
Dark Places Alta [105]
Private Screening Kate / Hélène [106]
1974 Le Mouton enragé Marie-Paule [107]
How to Do Well When You are a Jerk and a Crybaby Jane [108]
Serious as Pleasure Ariane Berg [109]
Lucky Pierre Jackie Logan Also known as: I'm Losing My Temper[110]
1975 La Course à l'échalote Janet [111]
Catherine et Compagnie Catherine [112]
Sept morts sur ordonnance Jane Berg [113]
1976 Burnt by a Scalding Passion Virginia Vismara [114]
Je t'aime moi non plus Johnny Nominated – César Award for Best Actress[115][116]
1977 L'Animal Female film star [117]
1978 Death on the Nile Louise Bourget [100]
1979 Au bout du bout du banc Peggy [118]
Melancoly Baby Olga [119]
La miel Inés [120]
1980 Egon Schiele – Excess and Punishment Wally Neuzil [121]
1981 The Prodigal Daughter [fr] Anne [122]
Rends-moi la clé! Catherine [123]
1982 Evil Under the Sun Christine Redfern [100]
Nestor Burma, Shock Detective Hélène Chatelain [124]
1983 Circulez y a rien à voir! Hélène Duvernet [125]
L'ami de Vincent Marie-Pierre [126]
Love on the Ground Emily [127]
1984 Le garde du corps Barbara Penning [100]
The Pirate Alma Nominated – César Award for Best Actress[100][115]
1985 Dust Magda [100]
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Nikos' former love Voice role[128]
Beethoven's Nephew Johanna [129]
Leave All Fair Katherine Mansfield [130]
1986 La Femme de ma vie Laura [131]
1987 Kung-Fu Master Mary-Jane [116]
Keep Your Right Up Fun-loving woman [132]
Comedy! Her [133]
1988 Jane B. par Agnès V. Herself / Calamity Jane / Claude Jade / Joan of Arc [134]
1990 Daddy Nostalgie Caroline [116]
1991 La Belle Noiseuse Liz Nominated – César Award for Best Supporting Actress[135]
1995 One Hundred and One Nights Madame Radin [136]
1997 Same Old Song Jane [137]
1998 A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries Mrs. Fortescue [138]
1999 The Last September Francie Montmorency [139]
2001 A Hell of a Day Jane [140]
2002 Merci Docteur Rey Pénélope [141]
2003 The Very Merry Widows Renée [142]
2006 Boxes Anna Herself[85]
2009 36 Views from the Pic Saint-Loup Kate [143]
2010 Thelma, Louise et Chantal Nelly [144]
2012 Twice Born Psychologist [145][146]
2013 Nobody's Daughter Haewon Herself [147]
Quai d'Orsay Molly Hutchinson [148]
2016 Whoever Was Using This Bed The Caller Short film[149]
La Femme et le TGV Elise Short film[150]
2020 Paolo Conte Via von me [99]
2021 Jane by Charlotte Herself [85]

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1965 Armchair Mystery Theatre Anthea Langridge Episode: "That Finishing Touch"[151]
1967–8 Armchair Theatre Babs / Judy Episodes: "Recount"; "Poor Cherry"[100]
1974 Bons baisers de Tarzan Jeanne Television film[152]
1985 La fausse suivante La Comtesse Television film[153]
1988 Médecins des hommes Joy Episode: "Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire"[154]
1990 L'ex-femme de ma vie Aurélie Television film
1991 Red Fox Violet Harrison Miniseries[100]
2000 Cinderella Mab Television film[155]
2006 Les aventuriers des mers du Sud Fanny Stevenson Television film
2011-2013 Les saisons meurtrières Lili Rousseau Miniseries. Episodes: "Hiver rouge" and "Bleu catacombes"[156]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "From The Archive: When Vogue Captured Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg In Love". British Vogue. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Décugis, Jean-Michel (16 July 2023). "Jane Birkin est morte à l'âge de 76 ans". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Franco-British singer and actress Jane Birkin dies in Paris aged 76". Euronews. 16 July 2023. A naturalised French citizen, Birkin moved to France in the late 1960s
  4. ^ Vezin, Annette; Vezin, Luc (200). The 20th Century Muse. Harry N. Abrams. p. 1180. ISBN 978-0-8109-9154-5.
  5. ^ Deadlier Than the Male: Femme Fatales in 1960s and 1970s Cinema. BearManor Media.
  6. ^ Dallach, Christoph (30 October 2006). "MELODIEN FÜR MILLIONEN". Spiegel.de. Archived from the original on 15 October 2010.
  7. ^ "Les Heures Ou Je M'Eclipse". Recordoftheday.com.
  8. ^ a b c d McLean, Craig (20 September 2017). "Jane Birkin interview: If my songs seem painful — it's for my daughter Kate". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  9. ^ a b Crawford, Gabrielle (director) (2003). Jane Birkin: Mother of All Babes. Sundance TV.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Interview: Jane Birkin on life, love, style, growing older and Serge Gainsbourg". Vogue France (in French). 24 August 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  11. ^ a b Smith, Julia Llewellyn (19 June 2023). "Jane Birkin: Do I have a health routine at 75? No!". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Jane Birkin: 'I learned French off a tape recorder. All the French people laughed' | Jane Birkin | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  13. ^ Birkin, Jane (20 August 2020). Munkey Diaries. Orion. ISBN 978-1-4746-1772-7. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  14. ^ Walsh, John (15 February 1997). "The French miss". The Independent. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  15. ^ Ironside, Virginia (9 January 1995). "A funny little girl in socks and sandals". The Independent. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  16. ^ Miles, Barry (2009). The British Invasion. Sterling. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-4027-6976-4.
  17. ^ "Freedom, revolt and pubic hair: why Antonioni's Blow-Up thrills 50 years on". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Slogan (AKA L'amour et l'amour)". FilmAffinity. 1969.
  19. ^ Simmons, Sylvie (2002). Serge Gainsbourg : a fistful of gitanes : requiem for a twister (1st ed.). Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-306-81183-8.
  20. ^ a b "Q & A: Jane Birkin". CNN. 3 October 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  21. ^ Cheles, Luciano; Sponza, Lucio (2001). The art of persuasion: political communication in Italy from 1945 to the 1990s. Manchester University Press. p. 331. ISBN 0-7190-4170-8.
  22. ^ Spencer, Neil (22 May 2005). "The 10 most x-rated records". Observer Music Monthly. London: Guardian Newspapers. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  23. ^ a b Owen, Jonathan (27 January 2013). "Jane Birkin: 'I was no Lolita,' says Britain's Bardot". The Independent. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  24. ^ "Serge Gainsbourg — Histoire De Melody Nelson — On Second Thought". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Bush, John. "Jane Birkin Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  26. ^ Fenton, Harvey; Flint, David (2001). Ten Years of Terror: British Horror Films of the 1970s. FAB Press. p. 180. ISBN 978-1-903254-08-0.
  27. ^ a b Yotka, Steff (29 March 2016). "Jane Birkin Returns to Fashion With Saint Laurent". Vogue. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  28. ^ Phares, Heather. "Le Divorce [Original Score]". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  29. ^ Kelly, Zach (2 February 2011). "We are the Lilies". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  30. ^ a b Dry, Jude (2 February 2017). "Jane Birkin's Comeback: Why She Chose Oscar-Nominated Short 'La Femme et le TGV' As Her Final Film". Indiewire. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  31. ^ Merry, Stephanie (24 January 2017). "Oscar nominations 2017: Complete list of nominees; 'La La Land's' 14 ties record". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  32. ^ "18-year-old Jane Birkin, currently starring in the lead role of..." Getty Images. 6 November 2017.
  33. ^ "Jane Birkin". RFI Music. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  34. ^ Brophy, Gwenda (15 February 2009). "Time and place: Jane Birkin". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  35. ^ Auld, Tim (13 February 2009). "Jane Birkin: marching to her own tune". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  36. ^ Robinson, Lisa (November 2007). "The Secret World of Serge Gainsbourg". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 3 September 2011. Contrary to rumors, Jane and Serge never did marry. "He said in France I'd need to be fingerprinted and have a blood sample", Jane says, "and I was slightly offended and said, 'What on earth for?' I also had a secret fear that marriage changed things, and so, in fact, we weren't."
  37. ^ McKie, Andrew (25 February 2011). "Death Is Not the End". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 26 September 2011. Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin often referred to each other as husband and wife, but in fact they were never married, according to Ms. Birkin's agent. An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Ms. Birkin twice as Gainsbourg's third wife
  38. ^ Adams, William Lee (26 January 2010). "French Chanteuse Charlotte Gainsbourg". Time. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2011. My parents weren't married so I don't have an ideal image of marriage that I'm hoping for.
  39. ^ Barlow, Helen (9 June 2007). "A bit twisted". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  40. ^ "Life, death and Serge: Jane Birkin reveals her insecurities in emotional memoir". theguardian.com. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  41. ^ "The Secret Stories of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg". anothermag.com. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  42. ^ Butter, Susannah (19 June 2023). "Jane Birkin on Serge Gainsbourg: 'It wasn't easy for the children'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  43. ^ a b Jones, Amie (13 April 2020). "Jane Birkin on Serge Gainsbourg and Paris in the 70s". RUSSH. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  44. ^ "BBC Arts – Unfinished sympathy: Jane Birkin on Serge Gainsbourg". BBC. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  45. ^ "Jane Birkin: My family values – Serge Gainsbourg". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  46. ^ "Jane, Kate, Charlotte et Lou : le clan des filles Birkin". LEFIGARO (in French). 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  47. ^ Adams, Tim (28 October 2007). "A charmed life". The Observer. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  48. ^ Smith, Julia Llewellyn (14 January 2013). "Birkin girl: no pain, no Jane". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  49. ^ Quinn, Ben (6 September 2021). "Jane Birkin doing well after stroke, say her family". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  50. ^ D'Silva, Beverley (14 January 2018). "A Life in the Day: Jane Birkin". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  51. ^ Rocca, Jane (23 March 2017). "Jane Birkin: my travelling mishap inspired the Birkin bag". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  52. ^ Randhawa, Kiran; Allen, Peter (12 December 2013). "Kate Barry, photographer daughter of Jane Birkin and Bond film composer John Barry, dies in fall from Paris apartment". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  53. ^ Le Vaillant, Luc. "Jane Birkin, 49 ans, entame deux mois de tournée. Quittant maisons et souvenirs, elle se risque sur ses routes à elle. Jane Bis". Libération (in French). Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  54. ^ "Inside Jane Birkin's Parisian apartments". House & Garden. 18 July 2023.
  55. ^ "Jane Birkin doing well after stroke, say her family". TheGuardian.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021.
  56. ^ "Actress and singer Jane Birkin, who found fame in France, dies age 76". cbsnews.com. 17 July 2023.
  57. ^ Richford, Rhonda (24 July 2023). "Jane Birkin Honored at Private Funeral, Public Event in Paris". WWD. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  58. ^ Mer, Benny (14 December 2003). "Birkin's Stock Still Rises". Haaretz.
  59. ^ a b c Herreros, Romain (16 July 2023). "Mort de Jane Birkin : chanteuse et comédienne, elle était aussi (très) politique et engagée". HuffPost (in French). Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  60. ^ "200 stars urge 'serious' action on climate change in letter to Le Monde". France 24. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  61. ^ "'For freedom': French actors cut their hair in support of Iranian women | France | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  62. ^ "Marion Cotillard, Jane Birkin & More Cut Their Hair For Iran". W Magazine. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  63. ^ "French actors cut hair in solidarity with Iranian women". The Independent. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  64. ^ Dionne Jr., E.J. (7 September 1985). "Venice Festival awards top prize to Varda film". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  65. ^ The London Gazette, 16 June 2001, Supplement 56237, p. 24
  66. ^ "BIRKIN BAGS OBE". British Vogue. 18 April 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  67. ^ Jane Birkin et sa fille Lou Doillon qui reçevait le 10 avril 2013 à Paris les insignes de chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres des mains de la ministre de la Culture et de la Communication Aurélie Filippetti., 10 April 2013
  68. ^ Nomination dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres – hiver 2022, 4 May 2022
  69. ^ "Jane Birkin, Musician, Actor & Style Icon, Has Died At 76". British Vogue. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  70. ^ Watanabe (18 September 2019). ""Why is Birkin bag expensive? Here are the reasons!"". www.jackroad.co.jp. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  71. ^ "Morreu a atriz e cantora Jane Birkin". CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  72. ^ deepskyobject (17 July 2023). "Jane Birkin". flickr. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  73. ^ Segovia, Antonio Marín (19 July 2023). "Jane Birkin". flickr. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  74. ^ Kim, Monica (2 October 2017). "Bonjour Coco's Handmade (Jeanne Damas–Approved) Jane Birkin Baskets Are the Real Deal". Vogue. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  75. ^ Verheyen, Géraldine (30 June 2020). "You Can Now Buy Jane Birkin's Iconic Wicker Basket". L'Officiel Baltic. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  76. ^ "Jane Birkin Basket Portugal Algarve". Somavillas. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  77. ^ Kendall, Zoë (27 March 2020). "7 of Jane Birkin's most iconic outfits". i-D. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  78. ^ Foreman, Katya (16 January 2015). "The Birkin bag: Fashion's ultimate status symbol". BBC. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  79. ^ "In the Bag". Time magazine. 17 April 2007. Archived from the original on 11 July 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  80. ^ Rubin, Julia (27 February 2012). "Jane Birkin Owns Exactly One Of Those 'Bloody Birkin Bags'". Styleite. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  81. ^ "The Birkin Rules". UK. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  82. ^ a b Brannigan, Maura (28 July 2015). "Jane Birkin Wants Her Name off the Birkin Bag". Fashionista. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  83. ^ "Jane Birkin Asks Hermes To Take Name Off Crocodile Handbag," AFP, 28 July 2015.
  84. ^ Dombey, Daniel (11 September 2015). "Hermès satisfies Birkin on farming crocodiles for bags". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  85. ^ a b c Keslassy, Elsa (16 July 2023). "Jane Birkin, British-French Actor and Singer, Dies at 76".
  86. ^ "Jane Birkin - Di Doo Dah". Light In The Attic Records.
  87. ^ "Jane Birkin - Lolita Go Home Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  88. ^ "Jane Birkin - Ex Fan des Sixties Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  89. ^ "Song: Baby Alone in Babylone written by Serge Gainsbourg | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com.
  90. ^ "Jane Birkin - Lost Song Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  91. ^ a b "Jane Birkin, muse éternelle de Serge Gainsbourg". BFMTV (in French). Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  92. ^ a b c d e "Jane Birkin, singer and actress, has died". Le Monde.fr. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  93. ^ "Jane Birkin - Au Bataclan (Live) Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  94. ^ "Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais... Concert intégral au Casino..." SensCritique.
  95. ^ "Jane Birkin - Concert Integral A l'Olympia Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  96. ^ "Jane Birkin - Arabesque Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  97. ^ "Jane Birkin - Au Palace Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  98. ^ "Jane Birkin Sings Serge Gainsbourg Via Japan 2013". tidal.com. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  99. ^ a b c d e f Filmstarts. "Filmografie von Jane Birkin". FILMSTARTS.de (in German). Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  100. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Jane Birkin". BFI. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016.
  101. ^ "Romance of a Horse Thief - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  102. ^ "TROP JOLIES POUR ÊTRE HONNÊTES (1972)". BFI. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017.
  103. ^ "Sieben Tote in den Augen der Katze | filmportal.de". www.filmportal.de.
  104. ^ "Ms. Don Juan - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  105. ^ "Dark Places (1974) - Don Sharp | Cast and Crew | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
  106. ^ "Private Screening" – via mubi.com.
  107. ^ "IMAGO". www.imago-images.com.
  108. ^ "How to Make Good When One Is a Jerk and a Crybaby - Where to Watch and Stream Online". Entertainment.ie.
  109. ^ "Serious as Pleasure" – via mubi.com.
  110. ^ "Movie Poster, I'm Loosing My Temper, 70s French Cinema". Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  111. ^ "La course à l'échalote" – via www.allocine.fr.
  112. ^ "Catherine-et-Cie - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014.
  113. ^ Travers, James (16 July 2012). "Review of the film Sept morts sur ordonnance (1975)". frenchfilms.org.
  114. ^ "Burnt by a Scalding Passion" – via mubi.com.
  115. ^ a b "Jane Birkin, Musician, Actor, and Style Icon, Has Died at 76". Vogue. 16 July 2023.
  116. ^ a b c "Jane Birkin - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  117. ^ Travers, James (16 July 2011). "Review of the film L'Animal (1977)". frenchfilms.org.
  118. ^ "AU BOUT DU BOUT DU BANC (1979)". BFI. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021.
  119. ^ "Melancolie Baby (1979) - Turner Classic Movies". www.tcm.com.
  120. ^ "La Miel (1979) - Turner Classic Movies". www.tcm.com.
  121. ^ "EGON SCHIELE - EXZESS UND BESTRAFUNG (1980)". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018.
  122. ^ "The Prodigal Daughter" – via mubi.com.
  123. ^ "Rends-moi la clé ! de Gérard Pirès (1981) - Unifrance". en.unifrance.org.
  124. ^ "Nestor Burma, Shock Detective (1982) - Cast & Crew on MUBI". mubi.com.
  125. ^ Circulez y a rien à voir!
  126. ^ "L' AMI DE VINCENT (1983)". BFI. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020.
  127. ^ Wiegand, Chris (6 April 2021). "Love on the Ground: the intimate illusions of Jacques Rivette's chateau mystery". The Guardian.
  128. ^ Elley, Derek (23 May 1995). "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea".
  129. ^ Thomas, Kevin (24 June 1988). "MOVIE REVIEW : Mad About the Boy: 'Beethoven's Nephew'". Los Angeles Times.
  130. ^ "Leave all Fair (1985)". BFI. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016.
  131. ^ "La FEMME DE MA VIE (1986)". BFI. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017.
  132. ^ "Keep Your Right Up de Jean-Luc Godard (1987) - Unifrance". en.unifrance.org.
  133. ^ "Comedy ! de Jacques Doillon (1987) - Unifrance". en.unifrance.org.
  134. ^ "Jane B. par Agnès V." The Criterion Collection.
  135. ^ Jane Birkin bcactionfund.org Archived 31 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine
  136. ^ "One Hundred and One Nights (1995) - Cast & Crew on MUBI". mubi.com.
  137. ^ "Same Old Song - Where to Watch and Stream Online". Entertainment.ie.
  138. ^ "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 13 September 1998.
  139. ^ "Last September, The". Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  140. ^ "A Hell of a Day" – via mubi.com.
  141. ^ "Merci Docteur Rey - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 13 October 2002.
  142. ^ "Mariees-Mais-Pas-Trop - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. 13 April 2014. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
  143. ^ "36 vues du Pic Saint-Loup". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema.
  144. ^ "Thelma, Louise et Chantal". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema.
  145. ^ "Twice Born" – via mubi.com.
  146. ^ Lemire, Christy. "Twice Born movie review & film summary (2013)". rogerebert.com. Roger Ebert.
  147. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (10 October 2013). "Nobody's Daughter Haewon – review". The Guardian.
  148. ^ "Quai d'Orsay de Bertrand Tavernier (2012) - Unifrance". en.unifrance.org.
  149. ^ "Whoever Was Using This Bed" – via mubi.com.
  150. ^ "La femme et le TGV". playsuisse.ch (in German). Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  151. ^ "Jane Birkin". Kinorium.
  152. ^ "Bons baisers de Tarzan" – via mubi.com.
  153. ^ "La Fausse suivante (Patrice Chéreau, 1985) - La Cinémathèque française". www.cinematheque.fr.
  154. ^ "PointCulture". www.pointculture.be.
  155. ^ "Cinderella" – via mubi.com.
  156. ^ ""Deadly Seasons" (2011–2017, Les Saisons meurtrières)" – via en.kinorium.com.

External links[edit]