Close Up and Personal

Book excerpt: Deneuve's startling portrayal of an icy, sexually adventurous housewife in Belle de Jour helped to establish her as one of the most remarkable and compelling actresses of her generation. Forty years on and Deneuve is still widely regarded as one of the greatest and most international grandes dames of French cinema. Despite her international appeal, however, Deneuve has always chosen to avoid the ferocious glare of Hollywood and seldom allows the public into her private life. In CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL, Deneuve gives her fans an exclusive look behind the scenes of her life and career in this fascinating collection of seven previously unpublished diaries that she kept while filming abroad. Deneuve charts the shooting of films such as The April Fools co-starring Jack Lemmon; Tristana directed by the great Luis Bunuel; Indochine, shot in Vietnam, and Lars von Trier's acclaimed Dancer in the Dark, co-starring Bjork. Including an exclusive interview with famous director Pascal Bonitzer, CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL offers an intimate and revealing insight into Deneuve's life both on- and off-screen.