The world of cinema and animal rights activism is in mourning following the death of the legendary French actress, Brigitte Bardot. The cultural icon passed away at the age of 91 at her home in southern France on Sunday.
Final Farewell in Saint-Tropez
A public funeral ceremony has been scheduled for Wednesday, 7 January. It will take place at the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Catholic Church in the town of Saint-Tropez, a place with which Bardot was intrinsically linked for over fifty years.
To accommodate the expected outpouring of grief and admiration from fans worldwide, the event will be broadcast live on large screens for the public to witness. The town itself has paid tribute, acknowledging Bardot's role as its 'most dazzling ambassador' throughout her long residency.
A Private Burial and Public Homage
Following the church service, Bardot will be laid to rest in a private burial ceremony. Her final resting place will be a cemetery that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea, a fittingly picturesque and serene location for the star.
The family has also confirmed that a separate public homage will be organised for her legions of fans after the private interment. This allows for a moment of collective remembrance for those whose lives she touched through her film work and activism.
From Screen Siren to Controversial Figure
Brigitte Bardot retired from acting in 1973, at the height of her fame, and subsequently dedicated her life to animal welfare, founding the influential Brigitte Bardot Foundation.
However, her later years were also marked by controversy as she became involved in right-wing politics in France. She was convicted and fined on multiple occasions for statements judged to incite racial hatred, a stark contrast to her beloved public image as a film star and animal advocate.
Her death marks the end of an era for a figure who was both a defining symbol of 20th-century cinema and a fiercely committed, if divisive, campaigner.
