Danish-French actress Anna Karina in July, 1978. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)
Danish-French actress Anna Karina has died. She was 79.
The French culture minister announced her death on Twitter on Sunday, Dec. 15. French media said that the Danish-born Karina had cancer and died Saturday.
“Anna Karina radiated. She magnetized the entire world,”′ Culture Minister Franck Riester tweeted, adding that ’’French cinema has lost one of its legends.″
Karina captured film-goers with her large blue doe eyes and acting and singing talents.
Karina had been awarded the distinction of knight of the French Legion of Honor—the country’s highest decoration—Françoise Nyssen, former French culture minister, said.
Danish-French actress, author and singer Anna Karina at Heathrow Airport, London, U.K., on Sept. 13, 1968. (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Born Hanne Karin Blarke Bayer in Denmark, she initially modeled and sang in cabarets before coming to France. She was reportedly discovered, and renamed, by Coco Chanel, then discovered by director—then film critic—Jean-Luc Godard.
Karina became famous for her work—appearing in many French films of the 1960s—with Godard, as well as her films with directors Luchino Visconti and Jacques Rivette, the minister of culture said.
She won best actress at the Berlin Film Festival in 1961 for her role in “Une femme est une femme” (A Woman is a Woman), which was directed by Godard.
French movie director Jean Luc Godard and French actress Anna Karina (L) are shown at the International Film Festival in Venice, on Aug. 31, 1965. (Mario Torrisi/AP Photo)
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The CNN Wire and The Associated Press contributed to this report
