Chantal Akerman, the director behind “Jeanne Dielman,” which was recently named the greatest film in cinema history, is currently the focus of an essential, expansive retrospective as her films had become exceedingly scarce.
At the end of 2022, a prestigious poll crowned “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” as the best film ever made. This decision came from a vote by 1,600 critics at the request of “Sight and Sound” magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). The 1976 film topped the list, surprising some. This poll is only updated once every decade.
The greatest film in cinema history or 3 hours and 18 minutes of sheer boredom? Why revisit this polarizing work?
“Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” is a truly unique film surrounded by a special aura. At its initial release, it saw only 31,000 viewers in 1976 and later became almost impossible to watch legally for many years due to rights issues, making it a rare gem.
Launch of a Major Retrospective
This early autumn, a year after the re-release of “Jeanne Dielman,” a series of about ten other rare works by the same director, Chantal Akerman, have hit the big screens thanks to a retrospective organized by distributor Capricci in France.
Two film cycles are planned. One starting September 25 and the next on October 23, 2024. Here is a list of the films re-released in 2K & 4K restorations:
Cycle 1 – starting September 25, 2024
- Je Tu Il Elle
- News From Home
- Les rendez-vous d’Anna
- Toute une nuit
- Golden Eighties
- Letters Home
- Histoires d’Amérique
- D’Est
Cycle 2 – starting October 23, 2024
- Un Divan à New York
- Sud
- La Captive
- De l’autre côté
- Demain on déménage
- Là-bas
- La Folie Almayer
- No Home Movie
Most of these films had become very rare and were difficult to legally watch or re-watch in France for several years.
Nearly Complete Chantal Akerman Box Set by Mid-October 2024
In parallel with the two cycles of re-releases, a box set containing 43 films will be released, featuring many previously unreleased on video and all available for the first time on Blu-ray. This set will include “almost the entire collection of her available cinema and television works,” according to Capricci. Over 13 hours of bonus material are announced, including interviews, archival footage, documentaries about the filmmaker, testimonials from actors and crew, and introductions to the films. Release date is set for October 15, 2024.
Lastly, a major retrospective exhibition on Chantal Akerman has just started at the Jeu de Paume in Paris, running until January 19, 2025.
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A passionate journalist, Iris Lennox covers social and cultural news across the U.S.