The most photographed woman in the world plays herself more or less, only six years after And God Created Woman rocketed her to international fame. Brigitte Bardot, instant icon, plays Jill, a young dancer and model hurtled to fame as an actress, relentlessly pursued by press, and in love with the older Fabio (Marcello Mastroianni). Malle’s fourth film—following his smashing debut, Elevator to the Gallows, the taboo-breaking controversy of The Lovers and the beloved Zazie dans le Métro—is the least acknowledged, but under reconsideration, his greatest French language film. With A Very Private Affair, Malle begins to deconstruct the Bardot myth the year before Godard would with Contempt, and paired together, the two works make a remarkable diptych of films starring the subjects of their analysis.

Louis Malle, 1962, 104min, DCP

Starring Brigitte Bardot, Marcello Mastroianni, Nicolas Bataille

Restored in 4K by Gaumont in collaboration with CNC at Éclair Classics L’Image retrouvée laboratory, from the original image and sound negatives. Funding provided by CNC.

Cinema at L’Alliance New York is made possible by the generous support of BNP Paribas and Air France.

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