He was preparing to cast his debut filmBreathlessin 1960 and wanted to give her a part in it, albeit a small one. She declined on the basis that she did not want to appear nude in his film. He returned to her for the casting ofLe Petit Soldat, and, at 21, Karina made her first appearance in a Godard movie. The film was banned from screening in France due to its references to the Algerian War, but this was only the beginning of Karina’s career. She briefly married Godard, and by the time shedied at 79in 2019, Karina had become one of the most iconic figures of the French New Waveand French cinemaas a whole. These are her best movies ranked.
6Le Petit Soldat
DubbedThe Little Soldierin English, this movie marked the beginning of Karina and Godard’s collaborations in film. It was not released until 1963, which meant other films the two had made had come out before it. Set during the Algerian War, a man named Bruno takes residence in Geneva to try and escape the French draft. He works for what was dubbed a French terrorist organization, and he has just been given the assignment of assassinating a big figure to prove his loyalty. He struggles with this task, and, at the same time, he falls in love with a woman who helps the same organization as the man he has been ordered to kill.
5Alphaville
Released in 1965,Alphavilleis a neo-noir science fiction film that took home the Golden Bear the year it was released. Its protagonist is Lemmy Caution, a secret agent posing as a journalist trying to accomplish a set of tasks he has been given. He is looking for two individuals, one is a missing comrade, and the other he needs to capture or kill, and he must destroy Alphaville. In this land, love, poetry, and emotion have been completely taken out of the equation, leaving the world a lot darker than it should be. Caution is the classic antihero navigating the streets of Alphaville — actually Paris, only shot at night — to get the job done.
Related:Jean-Luc Godard is Dead, But His Films Are So Alive
4A Woman is a Woman
A Woman is a Womanwas Godard’s first movie in color, and it, too, surely does not disappoint. Karina portrays the exotic dancer Angéla, who is in a relationship with Émile. She is ready to take their relationship to the next step and desires to have a child, but he does not seem to be ready himself. When his friend is added into the equation, pursuing Angéla in a fit of passion, she decides to sleep with the friend to get what she wants. Karina took home the Silver Bear for Best Actress for her performance inA Woman is a Woman.
3Band of Outsiders
Band of Outsidersis highly underrated in Godard’s filmography, and it should not be overlooked for good reasons. Karina is Odile, who meets Franz (Sami Frey) while attending English-language courses. He introduces her to another friend, Arthur, after she reveals that the villa she lives in has a ton of money stashed in it. The two have decided that they want to steal all the money, and Arthur’s uncle joins in on the plot. Odile, now having joined in on the plot, has fallen in love with Franz, making this a crime of passion by the end.
Related:Most Romantic French Movies Ever Made
2Pierrot le Fou
InPierrot le Fou, its protagonist is not initially having the best time. He has lost his job at a TV broadcasting company in Paris and makes a hasty decision to run away with his ex-girlfriend (Karina). This is quite the decision, as he is married with children and a wife, and, as he soon discovers, the ex-girlfriend has ties to gangsters and is currently being hunted down by a group. So begins a chase across France with these two former lovers trying to outrun the gangsters, and their relationship gets put to the test.
1Vivre Sa Vie
Vivre Sa Vieis one of the best in Godard’s filmography — that is undeniable. Karina portrays Nana Kleinfrankenheim, a woman in her early-20s, who leaves her comfortable life behind to become an actress. Struggling to make ends meet while she works at a record store, she finds herself in a variety of situations.Vivre Sa Vieis told across 12 different episodes, each telling an interconnected vignette about Nana’s life and dreams. AlthoughVivre Sa Viecan technically be considered a tragedy, it shows the struggle of single women and how they want to chase their dreams, but cannot financially survive during this time.
