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News from Home (1977): The Film That Is Her Reply
Chantal Akerman’s film “News from Home” juxtaposes her mother’s letters with scenes of 1970s New York, revealing a poignant relationship shaped by distance and absence. Over 88 minutes, Akerman’s flat reading of her mother’s anxious words highlights the emotional disconnect, offering a unique cinematic reply to her mother’s longing for connection.
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Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975): The Order That Was Holding Everything
In 2022, Jeanne Dielman became the greatest film ever made. Chantal Akerman called it “a love film for my mother.” Both things are true. Neither explains what Akerman could not let herself see. RECORD OF ANOMALIES — THREE DAYS IN NOVEMBER Day One: No anomalies recorded. Routine executed without deviation. Day Two: Coffee cup replaced…
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La Notte (1961): The Letter That Proves Too Much
La Notte, directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, explores Giovanni’s emotional detachment and masculine egotism through his neglect of his wife Lidia, who carries a forgotten love letter. The film portrays the cost of this asymmetry, culminating in Lidia’s silent suffering and affirmation of her lost connection with Giovanni as he silences her realization.
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L’Avventura (1960): Everything That Opens When a Woman Disappears
L’Avventura, directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, explores themes of modern alienation through the story of Claudia and Sandro following the mysterious disappearance of Anna. Initially met with mixed reactions, it challenges narrative conventions by emphasizing emotional duration and consciousness. Claudia’s internal struggle highlights the sacrifices women face in relationships, making the film both radical and complex.
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About Elly (2009): The Film That Doesn’t Know Its Own Subject
About Elly is named after a woman whose inner life it never enters. The title promises a portrait. What the film delivers instead is a mirror — and the people looking into it are not Elly. She is sitting in the back seat of a car on the way to the Caspian Sea. She has…