From the Cannes film festival and Brigitte Bardot to virtual film stars and Virginie Ledoyen, French film stars embody glamour, sexiness and controversy. analyzes the essential French stars of the last fifty years, paying detailed attention to screen performance, representation in the popular press, and social and political contexts in which they functioned. Guy Austin's lucid and engaging account charts the making (and in some cases breaking) of the icons of French cinema, including such famous names as Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, and Brigitte Bardot, as well as more recent stars like Béatrice Dalle, Emmanuelle Béart, and Samy Nacéri.