Jane by Charlotte: An Intimate Portrait of Jane Birkin Through a Daughter's Eyes

Jane Birkin made her last public appearnce on July 8th, 2021 through the premiere of Jane by Charlotte, a documentary that explores the relationship between Jane Birkin and her daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg, an actress and singer, is also the director of the documentary

The documentary follows the life of Birkin, a woman in her seventies who has been living alone for several years. She survived leukemia, suffered several health issues after an accidental fall down the stairs and dealt with the loss of her eldest daughter, Kate Barry. Birkin did not take on any film roles since 2016, making Jane by Charlotte a unique opportunity for Gainsbourg to showcase her mother's life not just as a singer and star, but also as a mother, grandmother, and elderly person living alone. In a Vogue article, Gainsbourg said, "It is a film about a daughter looking at her mother."

Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin in 2021

Time has the power to bring about change, and this is certainly evident in Birkin's transformation. When asked by Gainsbourg why her hair is constantly kept short, Birkin, who once hoped to be praised for her looks, explains unreservedly that she wants to shed her previous doll-like image and embrace her natural attributes, including her wrinkles and body that is gradually growing in size. She has also accepted her hoarding disorder which she initially found undesirable. Over time, Birkin has taken her singing career more seriously. She still maintains a beautiful voice despite her changed appearance. She has even moved away from lip-syncing and now attempts to perform live on stage. Gainsbourg documents Birkin's tours in Japan and the United States and observes that her stage presence is very similar to her real-life persona. In response , Birkin humbly states that she hopes "people will focus more on [her] singing than appearance."

The most unique aspect of Jane by Charlotte is Gainsbourg chose to observe the life of Jane Birkin from her own perspective as her daughter. Besides the scenes of Birkin and Gainsbourg appearing on stage together, the film appears to be more like a family video. Gainsbourg brings her daughter, Joe, to visit Birkin who lives alone. As a mother and grandmother, Birkin is often busy cooking and spending time with her granddaughter. She looks lovingly at her granddaughter while wearing an apron with messy hair. Together, Birkin and her daughter perform on stage, chat like friends, and even visit the former house of Serge Gainsbourg, ex-lover of Birkin and father of Gainsbourg, at rue du Verneuil in Paris. However, through their conversations, we begin to slowly discover a Birkin who is hurt, anguished, and battling hardships.

Jane by Charlotte
Jane Birkin (left) and her daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg (right) in Jane by Charlotte

Birkin is deeply troubled by the premature death of her eldest daughter, Kate Barry. She cannot bring herself to look at any images of them on vacation together and constantly questions whether she could have done something differently to prevent Kate's passing. Birkin spends many sleepless nights lamenting the past and reflecting on her shortcomings as a mother. Gainsbourg, who is also a mother of three, comforts her and assures her that what she had done in the past was normal. After a long period of silence, Birkin tearfully expresses her buried concerns and fears: "Why did I bring my children to this world? Was it only for them to leave without me by their side?" These are not only the questions that a mother asks herself, but also those that a woman who has been through a lot poses to the world.

In the final scenes of the film, Birkin wanders along the Breton shore near her home while Gainsbourg reads out an excerpt from her letter to her mother where she asks if the latter will always be by her side and questions what life will be without her. It reads, "The more I look at you, the more I love you. I have always loved you. But it is so much clearer to me now. Why do we learn to live without our mothers? It seems to be a purpose in life: to free ourselves at any cost. I don't want to free myself." Birkin says nothing in response and all she does is hug her daughter tightly. That is her answer. This scene illustrates why Birkin can be considered a philosopher. She not only poses the ultimate question of life and death, but also provides an answer to it: to truly feel and understand the people she cares about.

Jane by Charlotte

Birkin’s funeral took place on July 24 at the Church of Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. During the service, Gainsbourg delivered a poignant eulogy to those in attendance, expressing her profound sadness and sense of loss. Gainsbourg shared, "I already feel the void she has left. This is my mother, our mother." The deep emotional bond that exists between a mother and her daughter will continue even after the former’s passing.

In the 1980s, Birkin released a single titled Norma Jean Baker, which depicts the final moments of another pop culture icon, Marilyn Monroe. There is a line in this song that goes “Plus belle que la Divine, Monroe Marilyn”. Birkin mourns the untimely death of Marilyn Monroe, who is undoubtedly a victim of ballyhoo and sensationalism. Female icons like Jane Birkin also face similar challenges of being scrutinized by the media and misrepresented. They are expected to always look beautiful as the world only cares about their appearance. The experiences of these female icons reflect the struggles of women across the globe to some extent. In a patriarchal society, women are constantly scrutinized to ensure they meet the standards set by men, while their genuine thoughts and ideas are often overlooked. Fortunately, there are people who are working hard to change this situation. Jane Birkin and Charlotte Gainsbourg have made efforts to showcase women's real lives and thoughts through their creations and performances, and more creators are also working towards this goal. As the act of women watching Barbie while laughing out loud becomes a global cultural phenomenon, we strongly believe that the circumstances that women face are changing and will continue to do so in the future.

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Mona Jisa
Jane Birkin is a grear women!
16:52 02 August, 2023
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