[7] Born in Pantin, Seine-Saint-Denis, Falconetti grew up poor and was schooled by nuns who did not support her acting ambitions.

Her portrayal is widely considered one of the more astonishing performances committed to film, and it remained her final cinematic role.

"[12] Many writers have claimed that Falconetti's performance was the result of extreme cruelty at the hands of Dreyer, a notoriously demanding director who pushed her to the brink of emotional collapse.

[15] After filming Joan of Arc, Falconetti continued with her career as a producer of light stage comedies, appearing with the Comédie-Française.

[16] Falconetti had suffered from mental illness all her life, and in 1946 she died in Buenos Aires, Argentina, an apparent suicide, by a self-imposed restrictive diet after having become significantly overweight.