Can You Identify These 9 Legendary Films? Take the Ultimate Cinema Quiz!

Catherine Deneuve, a quintessential French cinema icon, has been captivating audiences for decades. One of her earliest hits will be shown tonight on Arte, and to commemorate, we offer a chance to dive back into her extensive career through a quiz that will challenge you to identify 9 of her films.

Before you take the quiz, let’s explore some behind-the-scenes secrets from her first collaboration with director Jacques Demy, for whom she was a muse: “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” which won the Palme d’Or at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival.

Did You Know?

Background

In 1964, “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” was a sensation. As the French New Wave began to wane, Jacques Demy astonished audiences with a musical, a genre typically associated with Hollywood. The movie attracted over 1.3 million viewers in France, overshadowing Jean-Luc Godard’s “A Married Woman,” which drew 440,000 admissions that same year.

Singing Through the Drama

With “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” Jacques Demy created a film “sung throughout.” Unlike traditional musicals that feature occasional songs, this was a fully sung piece. The term “melodrama” thus returned to its original meaning, as Demy’s film was a drama driven by its musical score.

International Success

“The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” enjoyed international acclaim. In his second musical, “The Young Girls of Rochefort” (also starring Catherine Deneuve), Jacques Demy directed American star George Chakiris, and Gene Kelly made a guest appearance. The nod to Hollywood musicals was clear. Moreover, Demy filmed his next project, “Model Shop,” in the United States.

Want to watch “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”? Tune in to Arte tonight at 9:00 PM.