Charlotte Gainsbourg to head 47th Deauville American film festival

The actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg will preside over the 47th edition of the American film festival which takes place each year since 1975 in Deauville in Normandy, western France. The festival will be held from 3 to 12 September, the organisers announced on Tuesday.

Charlotte Gainsbourg in May 2017. © AFP/Alberto Pizzoli

"To lead all eyes in this exceptional year in many respects, we needed this international actress, now director," who lived in New York for several years, the Deauville organisers said in a statement.

Born in London on 22 July 1971, the daughter of British singer Jane Birkin and French composer Serge Gainsbourg began her career at the age of 13, and went on to win two César awards.

The artist, who embodies "audacity" according to the organisers, was also awarded the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival for Lars von Trier's Antichrist in 2009, before being named Female Artist of the Year at the Victoires de la musique in 2018.

#Deauville2021 PRÉSIDENCE DU JURY

Charlotte Gainsbourg (@cgainsbourg) est la Présidente du Jury.

Pour mener tous les regards en cette année exceptionnelle à bien des titres, il fallait cette actrice d’envergure internationale.

Réservez vos pass 👉 https://t.co/cghiSq1vvj pic.twitter.com/cmX5wkrVQg

— Festival Deauville (@DeauvilleUS) June 22, 2021

Charlotte Gainsbourg has released five albums and has also acted in films by Franco Zeffirelli, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, Wim Wenders, Arnaud Desplechin, Eric Rochant, Riad Sattouf and Gaspar Noé.

In February, she said that she was working on her next album as well as opening her late father's mansion in Paris to the public "before the end of the year if possible".

The Deauville film festival has not yet unveiled its programme.