French cinema is in mourning. Nadia Farès, an iconic figure in the film The Crimson Rivers , passed away this Friday at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. The actress had been rushed to the hospital last Sunday after being found unconscious in the swimming pool of a private club in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.

A fatal cardiac incident

According to details provided to AFP by her daughters, Cylia and Shana Chasman, Nadia Farès suffered a cardiac arrest while swimming. Despite being hospitalized, she never regained consciousness. Although an investigation was opened, no wrongdoing was found.

In an emotional statement, her loved ones paid tribute to a "great artist" and, above all, a loving mother, while requesting the discretion necessary for their mourning.

A career between shadow and light

Born in Marrakech in 1968, Nadia Farès made a lasting impression with her talent and determination:

1. The rise: After beginnings with Claude Lelouch and Alexandre Arcady, she exploded onto the world stage in 2001 in Mathieu Kassovitz's thriller, The Crimson Rivers .
2. The family choice: At the height of her fame, she moved to the United States with producer Steve Chasman to dedicate herself to raising her daughters, putting her career on hold.
3. The comeback: Having returned to France after her separation, she returned to the sets in 2016 with the Netflix series Marseille , alongside Gérard Depardieu.

Broken plans

The actress was preparing for a major new turning point in her professional life. She was due to direct her first feature film this September, an action comedy developed with TF1 Studios.

Nadia Farès, however, had fragile health, though this was largely unknown to the public. Last January, she confided to Gala magazine that she had survived major brain surgery for an aneurysm in 2007, followed by three heart surgeries within four years. Nevertheless, she considered herself "privileged" and approached the future with serenity and passion.