FRANCE: Jane Birkin, a singer and actress born in London, was laid to rest in Paris, where her music was heard across the city. Film stars and hundreds of admirers gathered at Saint-Roch cathedral to bid farewell to the French Icon.
Outside, emotional Jane Birkin supporters watched the ceremony on a massive screen while waving banners that said “Jane Forever” and “Thank you, Jane Birkin.” The first arrondissement of the French capital was filled with speakers playing songs by Birkin, notably “La Javanaise.”
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Birkin’s daughter, introduced her as “my mother, our mother” to mourners. Lou Doillon, her other daughter, expressed gratitude for her mother’s exceptional qualities. Film icons Catherine Deneuve, Vanessa Paradis, and first lady Brigitte Macron were also present at the funeral.
Alain Souchon, Etienne Daho, and Matthieu Chedid mourned the death of French showbiz icon Jane, who passed away on July 16.
Daho expressed gratitude for Birkin’s talent and mentioned other people who passed away, including Kate Berry, the eldest child of Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg. Marianne Faithfull, an English artist who made Paris her home, sent a message expressing her love for Jane.
Before her death, she battled cancer. However, her leukaemia deteriorated in May, causing her to postpone shows. Birkin, always optimistic, acknowledged the need for time to perform and be with her fans.
In 1969, Birkin co-starred in the French satirical romantic comedy Slogan, where she met her ex-lover, Gainsbourg. Birkin, at the age of 21 moved to France with her daughter Kate Barry after a brief marriage with John Barry, the composer of the James Bond film series.
Birkin and Gainsbourg’s song, “I Love You, Nor Me,” became an international hit, reaching Number One on the UK Charts. Despite being considered too risqué, it still achieved success.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised Jane Birkin as a true artist with a lovely voice and ardent convictions.
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