I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

The stunning young woman standing before Cheng Sheng was none other than Catherine Deneuve, hailed as 'Europe's most beautiful woman' and 'Europe's first lady of cinema'.

She is a French goddess-level actress, an "ice queen" on screen, a fashion darling, and the French national representative elected by the French public. She is graceful, elegant and charming.

She is the epitome of French style – Catherine Deneuve.

Catherine Deneuve was born on October 22, 1943, into a family of actors in Paris. Almost all of Europe's most famous directors in modern times have worked with the Catherine family.

Catherine has three sisters and grew up carefree in the big city.

She was closest to her older sister, François Dorré, who was a year older than her; they were inseparable friends.

However, unlike her lively and outgoing sister who loves movies and theater, Catherine is quiet and prefers to study architecture and visual arts.

She never dreamed of movies, but fate had already planned how to bring her into the spotlight.

During the summer vacation when she was thirteen, Catherine was bored and wanted to earn some money, so she went with her sister to act in a role in the movie "The Schoolgirl".

Catherine, new to acting, didn't find it enjoyable, but film offers kept pouring in. At that time, she didn't want to make a decision about the future, and only held an ambiguous and skeptical attitude.

Her father, however, was very supportive: "If it makes you happy, why not give it a try?" It was this sentence that launched her acting career.

In 1964, she played the lead role in the musical film "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," and her heartfelt passion and unique humor earned her a Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, thus establishing her status as a star.

The film most celebrated by film fans is "Belle de Jour," which she co-starred in with Spanish surrealist director Luis Bunuel.

This film tells the story of Severina (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful middle-class woman, who has a happy and fulfilling family life.

Pierre, a handsome and gentle surgeon with a high income, is unable to satisfy his wife's physical desires.

Because of her status, Severina could only find pleasure in fantasizing about being abused and bullied.

Unable to endure it any longer, she went to a brothel to sell her body. Because she could only sell her body during the time her husband was out on medical calls (from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.), she earned the nickname "Beauty of the Day".

This film is hailed as one of the most famous and best erotic films of the 20th century. At the time, society was still conservative, and in fact, there were no explicit scenes or nude fights in the film.

Many people may have come to see this film because of its explicit scenes, but director Buñuel deeply understands that directly showing sex is not a sophisticated way to make erotic films. He uses ample ambiguity and subtle details before and after sex to evoke the viewer's own fantasies about the sexual process. The human heart inherently possesses irresistible desires and sexual fantasies; the brain can project its own narrative. What Buñuel is doing is mastering the eroticism of human nature.

Catherine Deneuve's character, Severina, embodies desires and fantasies that are private; she clearly doesn't sell herself for the vulgar reason of money.

Another memorable scene in the film is in a white snowfield, where she fantasizes about her husband abusing her, throwing mud at the bound Severina...

Severina, dressed in a white dress, was covered in filth and grime, a stark reminder of defilement.
This performance uses the mud staining of her white dress to express her fantasies and desires, but people see noble desires in her, as if these desires are not vulgar, but simply that she wants to obtain pleasure to satisfy herself.

Thanks to Catherine Deneuve's successful performance, this film allows people to explore the repression and loneliness of women more deeply.

Surprisingly, after this movie, she wasn't dubbed the "most glamorous female star," but rather the "Snow Queen."

Because her eyes are mostly cold and arrogant, she always raises her head slightly, with a contemptuous, aloof smile on her lips.

She had worked with almost all the master directors of that era in Europe, including Roman Polanski, Buñuel, Melville, Oliveira, and others.

In 1981, César Award for Best Actress was awarded to Jean-Michel Deneuve for her outstanding performance in François Truffaut's film The Last Metro.

In 1993, she won the award again for "Indochine".

In 1998, she won the Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival for her performance in Place Vendôme!
Entering the 21st century, Deneuve continued making films. In *Dancer in the Dark*, she played a simple, unpretentious factory worker, singing and dancing. In François Auson's 2001 musical comedy *8 Women*, she co-starred with seven other top French actresses, her brilliance undiminished.

Despite facing the reality of aging and the rise of new actresses, Catherine Deneuve has captivated generations of moviegoers with her rich life experience and unique elegance...

Because of Catherine Deneuve's outstanding appearance and extraordinary temperament, she was chosen as the model for the official French Statue of Liberty, Marianne, in 1995.

“Cheng, it seems a bit inconvenient to stand at the door. Let’s come in and talk!” Catherine said with a smile.

"Ok."

Upon entering the room, Cheng Sheng followed behind Catherine. Looking at Catherine's graceful back, Cheng Sheng was truly shocked.

If he's not mistaken, Catherine is now 60 years old.

But the woman in front of him didn't look like a sixty-year-old woman at all; instead, she looked like a charming woman in her thirties.

It's often said that Western women age quickly, especially after the age of thirty, but this rule doesn't seem to apply to Catherine.

It was as if time had stopped for her.

"drink wine?"

Catherine picked up a glass of red wine and handed it to Cheng Shengdao.

"Thank you."

Cheng Sheng took the wine glass and thanked him.

Cheng Sheng was stunned when his finger accidentally touched Catherine's finger, and her finger even hooked his palm.

What do you mean?
Was he seduced by an older woman?

But this was only the first time he had met the older woman. How could she have developed feelings for him?

and many more.

It seems she is the president of the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Dig!

Cheng Sheng immediately recalled Ning Hao's eerie smile before she left.

That bastard wouldn't have sold me out, would he?!

Considering Ning Hao's behavior just now, it's quite possible.

damn it.

Cheng Sheng cursed inwardly, his face darkening.

Although Catherine is very beautiful, she is still sixty years old.

Cheng Sheng felt extremely uncomfortable being with a woman who was sixty years old... no, she should be described as a grandmother. (End of Chapter)