Brigitte Bardot, the famous French actress turned animal rights activist, passed away at 91 on December 28 at her home in La Madrague. Her funeral was held on Wednesday at the Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church in Saint-Tropez, her hometown. The ceremony was broadcast on large screens across the town. Bardot’s husband, Bernard d’Ormale, said she died of cancer after two operations. Bardot became an international star in the 1950s with films like And God Created Woman. She changed French cinema and became a symbol of sexual freedom. After retiring in the 1970s, she focused on animal rights activism. Bardot also became politically active on the far right, supporting Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party. She was convicted five times for hate speech, especially about Muslims. Her funeral procession passed the Place des Lices and the port with cheers from the crowd. The coffin entered the church as Maria Callas’s song played. Attendees included Bardot’s family, singer Jean-Roch, Mireille Mathieu, TV star Caroline Margeridon, and animal rights activist Paul Watson. Marine Le Pen, who called Bardot a model for Marianne and praised her as a modern Joan of Arc, also attended. The ceremony reflected Bardot’s life and love for animals. Bruno Jacquelin of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation said, “There will be surprises, but it will be simple, just as Brigitte wanted.” Bardot’s death stirred mixed reactions. Greens politician Sandrine Rousseau criticized Bardot’s focus on dolphins over migrant deaths, questioning the "level of cynicism."