Legend of French cinema died this Sunday (28), aged 91; cause of death has not been confirmed
Anyone who arrives in Armação de Búzios, in the Lakes Region, will come across a statue of the French actress in the place that was named Orla Bardot, in the central region of the city. The tribute to the muse of cinema from the 50s and 60s was erected after her two visits to the tourist attraction, in 1964, which radically transformed the status of the region.
Bardot visited Búzios on two occasions. The first time, she stayed for four months, between January and April 1964, accompanied by her then Brazilian-Moroccan boyfriend Bob Zagury. She stayed at Praia de Manguinhos, in a house described as humble compared to the reality of other residences, and was looking for peace after the release of O Desprezo (1963), by Jean-Luc Godard.
Brigitte Bardot’s visit to Brazil
When he landed in Rio de Janeiro, a few days earlier, he caused a real frenzy. She attracted national and international press, as there was a rumor that she would announce her marriage to Zagury. In the only press conference she gave, Bardot declared that she was in the city to rest and that there would be no wedding. After that, she never left the apartment where she was staying.
At the time of his visit to the country, Búzios was a small fishing village, difficult to access.
As was her wish, she went unnoticed by locals on her walks along the seaside, and managed to have the peace she was looking for, although she was not completely free from press harassment. But, after that, Búzios emerged from anonymity and became an international tourist spot, similar to what happened with Saint-Tropez, in the south of France, where she returned to live after announcing her retirement in 1973.
His second stay in Búzios was from December 1964 to January 1965, and was shorter. The press went to the place and made his stay unpleasant. Brigitte left after New Year’s Eve and never returned. She even earned the title of honorary citizen, but never sought it.
As a tribute, in 1999 Orla Bardot was inaugurated, where a bronze sculpture of the actress was placed. The work was created by sculptor Christina Motta, and is usually a point among tourists.
Controversial in her final years, the actress was admitted to a hospital in Toulon, in the south of France, in November and underwent surgery.
The information was confirmed to the French press by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
Published by Nícolas Robert
