The streets of Saint-Tropez were lined with crowds as they paid their respects to the legendary French film icon Brigitte Bardot during her funeral on Wednesday. As her coffin was driven through the picturesque French Riviera town following a solemn service in a local church, some of those gathered applauded in tribute. The service was attended by far-right politician Marine le Pen and Equality Minister Aurore Bergé, both of whom, like Bardot, were ardent defenders of animal rights. The actress was later laid to rest at a hillside cemetery with a stunning view of the Mediterranean.
Bardot, who revolutionized 1950s French cinema and became a symbol of sexual liberation, passed away at the age of 91 from cancer, just three days after Christmas. Despite her instructions for a low-key and unassuming funeral, the people of Saint-Tropez wanted to give her a fitting adieu on Wednesday. Screens were set up in the small fishing town that was transformed into a playground for the jet set thanks to Bardot's fame.
Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, Bardot's only son, was among those who carried the coffin to the cemetery where the actress' parents and first husband, Roger Vadim, are buried. After her death, French President Emmanuel Macron described the nation's grief as a mourning for "a legend of the century," while the Brigitte Bardot Foundation remembered her as a "world-renowned actress."
The cinema icon, known as "BB" in her home country, starred in nearly 50 films, including And God Created Woman, but retired in 1973 to devote her life to animal welfare. Later in life, Bardot's reputation was marred by homophobic slurs and multiple fines for inciting racial hatred. Her right-wing views alienated her from many in the political establishment.
