Bernadette Lafont

French leading lady, supporting actress, and comedienne of stage and screen, Bernadette Lafont is best known for appearing in French New Wave films, particularly those of Claude Chabrol and Francoise Truffaut. Before making her screen debut in Truffaut's second short film, Les Miston (The Mischief Makers) (1957), she was a teenaged dancer. She was born in Nimes in the South of France. Her best-known films include Beau Serge (1958) and Fiancee du Pirate (1969). In 1990, the energetic Lafont created an audio visual workshop to help young actors develop their creativity. Her daughter, Pauline Lafont (1961-1988), was also an actress. She is the co-founder and on the committee that awards the Glace Gervais and an accompanying 100,000 franc prize to works competing in the Cannes Film Festival "Un certain Regard" category. The award was designed to help bolster the budding careers of filmmakers. In October 1997, Lafont published her autobiography, an event heralded by a grand star-studded gala in Paris.

~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide