Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
Directed by Chantal Akerman
Genres - Drama, Crime |
Sub-Genres - Abstract Film, Feminist Film |
Release Date - May 14, 1975 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 201 min. |
Countries - Belgium, France |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Leo Charney
A classic of both feminist and experimental filmmaking, Chantal Akerman's marathon dissection of the life of Belgian housewife/mother/prostitute Jeanne Dielman (Delphine Seyrig) stays on the surface of the details of Jeanne's humdrum daily life, as if it were a real-life, real-time documentary of an ordinary life, in the tradition of Agnès Varda's earlier New Wave landmark, Cleo From 5 to 7 (1961). Jeanne feeds her son, fixes potatoes, does the marketing, entertains gentlemen -- but things slowly, almost imperceptibly start to go wrong, first those potatoes, and then, finally, something more shocking. Akerman sets out to capture the rhythm of daily life, even as that pace sets us up, after several hours, for the almost tossed-off, blink-and-you'll-miss-it climax.
Characteristics
Moods
Themes
Keywords
Belgium, life, prostitute/prostitution, single-parent, boredom, desperation, widow/widower
Attributes
High Artistic Quality, High Historical Importance