2008 deaths

Alain Jacquet (22 February 1939 – 4 September 2008) was a French artist representative of the Nouvelle Figuration movement that was linked to the American Pop Art movement.
Jacquet lived in New York and Paris and taught at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. He was married (1992) to Sophie Matisse, great-granddaughter of the French Fauvist artist Henri Matisse. They had one daughter, Gaïa Jacquet-Matisse. Jacquet's art is displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Centre Pompidou, the Musée National d'Art Moderne, in Paris. Jacquet died of esophageal cancer in Manhattan.

Jean-Claude Vrinat (12 April 1936 – 7 January 2008) was the owner of the Taillevent restaurant founded by his father André Vrinat in Paris. This two star restaurant, named after the court chef to King Charles V in the fourteenth century, has long been considered the epitome of Haute Cuisine and is also known for its excellent service and its comprehensive wine list. It held three stars from 1973 to 2007.He served as a judge in the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976.Born in Villeneuve-l'Archevêque near Chablis in Bourgogne, Vrinat was educated by the Oratorians and received his diploma from HEC Paris (l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales) in 1959. He joined his father at the Taillevent in 1962 and inherited the restaurant on 3 September 1972. Vrinat branched out into retail wine sales with a shop called Les Caves Taillevent in 1987. He opened a smaller second Parisian restaurant L'Angle du Faubourg in March 2001.
Vrinat died of lung cancer at a Parisian hospital on January 7, 2008, at the age of 71. His funeral was held at Église de la Madeleine in central Paris. Vrinat was survived by his wife, Sabine, and one daughter.

Robert Couturier (2 May 1905 – 1 October 2008) was a French sculptor. He was born in Angoulême.

Jean Daniel Cadinot (10 February 1944 – 23 April 2008) was a French photographer, and director/producer of gay pornographic films. His photography focused on homoerotic imagery, and his films are noted for their emphasis on plot and realism.

Frédéric Botton (5 August 1936 – 27 June 2008) was a French lyricist and composer.

Nicolas Bataille (14 March 1926 – 28 October 2008) was a French actor and director.

Jean Desailly (24 August 1920 – 11 June 2008) was a French actor. He was a member of the Comédie-Française from 1942 to 1946, and later participated in about 90 movies.

Charles-Robert Ageron (6 November 1923 – 3 September 2008) was a French historian specializing in colonial Algeria. He was born on 6 November 1923 in Lyon and died on 3 September 2008 in Kremlin-Bicêtre.

Maryvonne Samson Dupureur (24 May 1937 – 7 January 2008) was a French middle-distance runner. Competing in the 800 m event she won silver medals at the 1964 Olympics and 1967 European Indoor Games; she also took part in the 1960 and 1968 Olympics.Between 1959 and 1969 Dupureur won ten national titles: six in the 800 m, three in the 400 m and one in the 1500 m. She was an Olympic silver medalist in the 800
metres in Tokyo in 1964 after leading for most of the race but being overtaken in the final 100 metres by Great Britain’s Ann Packer, who set a new world record. Dupurer lived for many years in Brittany, and taught physical education and sport at a high school in Saint-Brieuc until her retirement.

The Eloá Pimentel hostage crisis, as it is known, refers to the October 2008 incident involving 15-year-old Brazilian girl Eloá Cristina Pimentel, who was kidnapped, taken against her will and held hostage before being murdered by her 22-year-old ex-boyfriend, Lindemberg Alves. Additionally, Pimentel’s friend, Nayara da Silva, was shot by Alves. The tragedy received major media exposure, not only because of the murder, but also because of blatant mistakes made by the São Paulo police. Eloá Pimentel was held as a hostage for 100 hours – the longest kidnapping ever registered in the State of São Paulo. The trial of Alves commenced on 13 February 2012, exactly three years and four months after the crime.