A liquid crystal device is formed by applying an alignment film comprising a fluorine-containing polyimide having a fluorine-containing substituent in its moiety originated from a diamine on at least one of a pair of substrates sandwiching a chiral smectic liquid crystal. Preferably, the respective substrates are provided with such florine-containing polyimide alignment films which have been rubbed in directions which are substantially parallel with each other and identical to each other or which intersect each other at a small counter-clockwise intersection angle. The liquid crystal device thus formed shows a high contrast display, particularly by multiplexing drive, free from after-image because of quick responsiveness.