Birjiñe Mañarieta

**Birjiñe Mañarieta** (7 February 1902 – 18 September 1927) was a Maronan actress known for her roles in silent films. Mañarieta first began her career after winning Miss Marone 1920, becoming the inaugural holder of the title.

After winning the title, Mañarieta signed a film contract with Legilson Productions. Her film debut came in *The Boys Have Fur!* (1921), playing a supporting role. She went on to appear in a number of successful comedies and dramas in both leading and supporting roles, including *Chrysanthemum* (1922), *Ugly Girls* (1923), *Spirited* (1923), *Fly Away with Me* (1924), *Pigsty* (1925), and *Get Your Gun!* (1925).

Mañarieta died on 27 September 1927, aged 25, at a hospital in Pingem, Parahais in Azile. She had been in Azile to film *Journey to the Unknown* (1928), when she was hospitalized after fainting on set. She contracted tuberculosis while hospitalized, and later died of the disease.

## Early life and education

Mañarieta was born on 7 February 1902 in Guguerche-Flète to parents Oiartzo (1870–1943) and Bertzijana Mañarieta (née *Juangotena*; 1878–1950). Her father owned a general store in Guguerche-Flète, where Birjiñe and her mother sometimes helped out with stocking shelves and working the cash register. Mañarieta came from a Chasque family, and was raised speaking the Chasque language, not learning Maronan until beginning her schooling. Mañarieta grew up as an only child, and lived with both her parents and paternal grandparents.

Mañarieta began her education in 1907, attending public schooling in Guguerche-Flète. While in school, Mañarieta was said to be both charismatic and popular, but also clever and witty, receiving strong grades. She graduated from primary school in 1914, and afterwards completed *collège* as well in 1917. After completing *collège*, Mañarieta opted to not continue her education, and began taking care of the home with her mother, in addition to assisting her father with his general store.

## Career

### Miss Marone 1920

In January 1920, Mañarieta was shopping at a clothing boutique with friends in Gugurexto-Flieta, when the shopkeeper recommended that she apply for Miss Marone 1920 – then-known as *La plus belle femme de Marone* – as she found Mañarieta to be strikingly beautiful. The shopkeeper had seen an advertisement for applications while attending a film earlier that week. After leaving the shop, Mañarieta purchased the newest edition of *Le Républicain Chasque*, which contained information on how to apply for the competition. Mañarieta met with Théodore Gilson and Mathieu Lemaître in March 1920, and they cast her immediately after meeting her, canceling all of their other in-person auditions in Terre Chasque afterwards.

After being selected as one of the 22 finalists, representing Terre Chasque, Mañarieta traveled to Delmas in June 1920, in order to take part in the official photoshoot of the finalists. This was the first time Mañarieta had ever had her photo taken in her life. The competition was later held throughout the summer of 1920, with filmgoers being able to vote for their favorite finalist prior to the beginning of their films. Mañarieta's parents supported her throughout the competition, and gave an interview to *Le Républicain Chasque* urging those in Terre Chasque to vote for Mañarieta. The results were later announced on 28 August 1920, with Mañarieta being announced as the winner of the competition. As the winner, Mañarieta was offered a contract with Legilson Productions, valid for five years, and was promoted as the studio's new starlet.

### Film career

After being signed to Legilson Productions in August 1920, Mañarieta quickly found herself at odds with studio executives. Disputes arose over Mañarieta's stage name, with executives believing that her Chasque name would be difficult for Maronan audiences to pronounce and remember, suggesting she adopt a stage name such as *Virginie Magnarète* or *Birna Eta*, which were thought to be more palatable to Maronan audiences. Mañarieta declined their suggestions, insisting she keep her birth name, and studio executives later relented after determining that the media attention she had received under her birth name after winning Miss Marone 1920 was sufficient reason to allow her to perform under that name.

Mañarieta made her film debut in July 1921, appearing in a supporting role in the horror-comedy *The Boys Have Fur!*. Her performance received a positive response from film critics and the film was a commercial success, leading to studio executives to begin taking her more seriously as an actress. She appeared in five other films in supporting roles between 1922 and 1924, the most successful of which being the romantic comedy *Ugly Girls* in June 1923, which became the second highest-grossing film of the year in 1923. Mañarieta made her debut as a leading actress in the romantic comedy *Pigsty* in August 1925, which was both a commercial and critical success. She appeared in a further five films, before her death in September 1927.

## Death

In August 1927, Mañarieta arrived to Pingem, Parahais in Azile to begin production on her upcoming film *Journey to the Unknown*. Shooting had begun as normal, but in the final days of filming, Mañarieta began to complain of exhaustion. On 8 September, she fainted on set, and was brought to a local hospital to be treated for dehydration and exhaustion.

While Mañarieta's condition stabilized after being treated at the hospital, she later was diagnosed with tuberculosis on 10 September, believed to be contracted due to the hospital's poor sanitation practices. Mañarieta's condition deteriorated in the coming days, as she was moved to the tuberculosis ward of the hospital, and she later died on 18 September. As the large majority of her scenes had already been filmed, *Journey to the Unknown* was later released as planned in March 1928 as Mañarieta's final film, and the film was dedicated in her honor.

Following her death, Mañarieta's body was transported from Azile to Marone, where she was buried in her hometown of Guguerche-Flète. Both the funeral costs and cost of flying her body from Azile were paid for by Legilson Productions, and its cofounders, Théodore Gilson and Mathieu Lemaître, who discovered Mañarieta, both attended her funeral.

## Filmography

*Main article: Birjiñe Mañarieta filmography*
## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Birjiñe Mañarieta*