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Irresistibly French: Female Stardom And Frenchness

Bazgan, Nicoleta
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1217959177

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, French and Italian.
French actresses have exerted an endless fascination on film audiences worldwide. Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, and, more recently, Amelie star Audrey Tautou epitomize the lasting appeal of the glamorous French star system, inviting a critical exploration of their prominent star images and of the bridges of desire that connect them to national and global audiences. French female stars cross the boundaries of popular and auteur cinema, and their mythical star text is refracted across both material and discursive practices, pointing to their status as French cinema icons, national treasures, and objects of consumption. On the one hand, French female stardom is represented as an elusive essence, a self-made myth inspired by a reputable tradition of cinematic and artistic excellence, its allure residing in the infamous je ne sais quoi that refuses easy consumption. On the other hand, stars as icons of femininity are the objects of an intense scrutiny that invites consumption through various practices, as the glamorous French actresses are exclusively faithful to the national industries of tourism, perfume, cosmetics, and fashion. My research also reveals that the various cultural products related to French female stars initiate a dynamic and visionary mode of transnational cultural exchanges. Contrary to a French cultural tradition turned inward to protect its national authenticity, the cultural products related to French female stars are open to export their Frenchness in a global market. Consequently, despite the construction of French cinema split between a commercial and an art sector with less popular appeal, female stars contribute to its perpetuation as art, industry, and commerce, providing a vital link in the negotiations between feminine identities, cinema, nation, and (inter)national consumption.
Judith Mayne (Advisor)
Eugene Holland (Committee Member)
Karlis Racevskis (Committee Member)
215 p.
French Canadian Literature
French cinema

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Bazgan, N. (2008). Irresistibly French: Female Stardom And Frenchness [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1217959177

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Bazgan, Nicoleta. Irresistibly French: Female Stardom And Frenchness. 2008. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1217959177.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Bazgan, Nicoleta. "Irresistibly French: Female Stardom And Frenchness." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1217959177

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1217959177
6,522
© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.