Born in Brussels in 1950 and the daughter of Holocaust survivors, Chantal Akerman directed more than 40 films (short, medium, and feature-length) in almost 50 years, spanning fiction, documentary, musical comedy and literary adaptation. Today she is regarded as one of the most important and influential directors of her generation.
Akerman’s personal, non-conformist body of work has become increasingly relevant since her death in 2015, resonating with cinephiles globally as well as filmmakers including Joanna Hogg (The Eternal Daughter), Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light), Céline Sciamma (Petite Maman), Sean Baker (Anora), Alice Diop (Saint Omer) Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez) and Charlotte Wells (Aftersun) citing her radical and experimental approach to filmmaking as a direct inspiration.
Representing the first significant release of Chantal Akerman’s work in the UK, this 5-disc set spanning 11 years includes her most famous film, Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), which topped the Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time Poll in 2022.
The Films:
Examen d’entree INSAS x 4 (1967)
Saute ma ville (1968)
L’enfant aime ou je joue… (1971)
Hôtel Monterey (1972)
La Chambre (1972)
Hanging Out Yonkers (1973)
Le 1⅝ (1973)
Je tu il elle (1974)
Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
News from Home (1976)
Les Rendez-vous d’Anna (1978)
Extras
Limited edition 5-disc set
Autour de Jeanne Dielman (68 mins): documentary by Sami Frey, and co-edited by Akerman, which explores the on-set relationships between Akerman, Delphine Seyrig and the crew
Audio commentaries on Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles and Les Rendez-vous d’Anna by Kate Rennebohm
Audio commentary on Je tu il elle by So Mayer and Selina Robertson
Interview with cinematographer Babette Mangolte (32 mins)
Interview with Natalia Akerman (28 mins)
Interview with actor Aurore Clement (18 mins)
Video essay by Sarah Wood looking at the early films of Chantal Akerman (2024)
Perfect-bound book with new essays by Catherine Bray, Justine Smith, Gerald White, Sarah Wood and Hannah Strong
