From Bardot to Binoche: the Pygmalion myth and artistic collaboration in French cinema

Abstract

This article focuses on three artistic collaborations to analyze the shifting meanings of the Pygmalion myth in French cinema throughout several decades: Roger Vadim and Brigitte Bardot, Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina, as well as, more recently, Leos Carax and Juliette Binoche. From Bardot to Binoche, the artistic dynamic of the Pygmalion myth changes considerably, progressively acknowledging the creative agency of actresses. While Bardot and Karina are portrayed as inspirational muses in the interaction with their film directors on and off screen, Binoche and Carax are established as more equal creative partners. Due to the more important and complex roles played by women in the French film industry from the 1970s to the 1990s, the artistic interaction between directors and actresses increasingly emphasizes the value of the actresses' contributions, providing examples of truly equal filmic partnerships. The transformations of the Pygmalion myth therefore open new paths for investigating cinematographic ...