French cinema mourns its oldest member: the actress Micheline Presle, who died on Wednesday February 21 at the age of 101, will have accompanied generations of spectators and rubbed shoulders with the figures of the 7th art of the 20th century, from Alain Resnais to Jacques Demy via Claude Autant -Lara.

The actress, elegant and fashion lover, will remain for many Marthe, Gérard Philipe's playmate in "Le Diable au corps" (1947) by Claude Autant-Lara, adapted from the novel by Raymond Radiguet.

Or the star of Saturday evenings in the TV series “Les Saintes Chéries”, an ORTF institution in the 1960s.

Actress Micheline Presle, November 27, 1947 in New York © STF / AFP/Archives

Far beyond, with his death, a page in cinema turns: his career counts a total of more than 150 films, including a few in Hollywood, letting himself be carried away by his encounters, from George Pabst to Alain Resnais via Abel Gance, Jacques Demy or Joseph Losey.

Long one of the three favorite stars of the French, with Danielle Darrieux and Michèle Morgan, she was one of the rare established actresses who gave a lot to beginning filmmakers.

Actress Micheline Presle, March 17, 1948 in London © STF / INTERCONTINENTALE/AFP/Archives

"Infinite sadness. France is an orphan of its darling saint. At 101 years old, Micheline was beautiful, simple, lively, curious about everything, singing to delight, laughing, with a lively eye. Loving to love", reacted to AFP the former president of the Cannes Festival Gilles Jacob.

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“Micheline Presle was an emblematic figure of French cinema,” greeted the Académie des Césars, two days before its 49th ceremony and twenty years after giving her an honorary César.

“Cinema is without a doubt the most beautiful story of my life,” the actress launched on stage at the time, after paying tribute to the “young filmmakers” to whom she said she owed her “survival” and “a lot of its joys.

The actress Micheline Presles and her American husband William Marshall, at the Cannes Film Festival, in May 1952 © - / AFP/Archives

With a special mention to Jacques Becker, who made him famous with "Falbalas", just after the war, just like "Boule de suif" by Christian-Jaque.

Her daughter Tonie Marshall, the only director to have ever received a César, for “Venus Beauté (institut)” (1999), in which Micheline Presle appeared, died in March 2020.

Micheline Presle's last appearance in front of the camera dates back to 2018: for her autobiographical show "Fashion Freak Show", directed by Tonie Marshall, Jean Paul Gaultier called on her to play her grandmother in a video sequence, she -even at the origin of the couturier's passion for fashion, when he was a child.

Actress Micheline Presle receives her honorary César during the 29th César Night at the Théâtre du Châtelet, February 21, 2004 in Paris © Bertrand GUAY / AFP/Archives

Outside of cinema, Micheline Presle was a member of the honorary committee of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity.

“We are losing a fervent activist (...) and a friend,” reacted the association on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

With AFP

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