The disappearance of Nadia Farès leaves Claude Lelouch baffled. The filmmaker reveals that he had dinner with her about ten days before the tragedy, a moment that seemed typical. “We had dinner together about ten days ago. She was at the peak of joy and happiness… We don’t understand, we are very sad,” he explained to Le Parisien on Saturday morning, still in shock. Her sudden disappearance is even more brutal as he was planning to work with her again: “I had even written a wonderful role for her in the film I am preparing,” he added, mentioning a project where he wanted her to act alongside Mel Gibson. The director was well-acquainted with the actress, having directed her in “Men, Women: A User’s Manual” and “It’s My Life,” a collaboration that had turned into a true friendship over the years.
Context: Claude Lelouch expressing his shock and sadness over the disappearance of Nadia Farès, with whom he had a close professional and personal relationship.
Nadia Farès and Claude Lelouch were neighbors in Montmartre. Having lived in Paris for several years after leaving the United States, Steve Chasman’s ex-wife resided in Montmartre, in the same building as Claude Lelouch. “She was our neighbor in Montmartre, we lived in the same building… We lived side by side and we always had her generosity and kindness,” he shared. This close proximity led to simple and regular moments together: “We often had dinner together. She had a zest for life, like me, which brought us together. Valerie and I are really very sad,” the director disclosed, referring to a relationship deeply rooted in daily life.
Context: Details of the close relationship shared by Nadia Farès and Claude Lelouch as neighbors in Montmartre.
Claude Lelouch recalls what immediately attracted him to Nadia Farès. Reflecting on their first meeting, he remembers her spontaneity. “It was her spontaneity that immediately appealed to me. There is nothing more photogenic than spontaneity, from Belmondo to Farès,” he explained. “She was very young, and we never parted ways since.”
The filmmaker also mentioned the health challenges she had overcome. “I knew she had heart problems, but she always came out of them thanking God every time,” he said, before highlighting that she had many projects in the works, including directing her first film. “She was at the beginning of her second half… She will be missed by many people,” he stated. Nadia Farès was set to direct her first feature film in September, which she had written.
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