Serge Rezvani

Serge Rezvani, originally named Cyrus Rezvani, was born in 1928 in Tehran. He is a versatile French artist, excelling as a painter, engraver, novelist, playwright, and songwriter. He also performs under the pseudonym Cyrus Bassiak, which translates to "barefoot" in Russian.

Raised in a multicultural environment, Rezvani is the son of a Persian father and a Jewish mother who immigrated from Russia. At the age of seven, he moved to France with his mother, where he quickly adapted by attending a boarding school for Russian-speaking immigrants, learning French along the way.

Over the course of his prolific career, Rezvani has penned more than 40 novels, 15 plays, and two collections of poetry. His songwriting contributions are notable, with over 150 songs to his name. He is particularly celebrated for "Le Tourbillon," performed by Jeanne Moreau in François Truffaut's classic film *Jules and Jim*, as well as "J'ai la mémoire qui flanche," also sung by Moreau. His collaborations extend to writing songs for Jean-Luc Godard's *Pierrot le fou*, featuring actors Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina.

After the passing of his first wife Lula in 2004, Rezvani reunited with actress Marie-José Nat, whom he married on September 30, 2005. Their poignant relationship, marked by the awareness of their shared limited time, inspired his book *Ultime amour*. He lived with Nat in Bonifacio until her death in October 2019.