DiscoverTalking ImagesThe Early Masterpieces of Chantal Akerman
The Early Masterpieces of Chantal Akerman

The Early Masterpieces of Chantal Akerman

Update: 2025-11-01
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Has any director achieved more than Chantal Akerman while still in their 20s? The only comparison point is really Orson Welles. This is the woman who made Jeanne Dielman, voted the greatest film of all-time by Sight & Sound, when she was 24, and the masterpieces kept coming.


In this episode, Matt and Chris dive into what makes Chantal Akerman's early masterpieces so special, from their daring and changing form, redefining what cinema could be, to their deeply personal, human, and touching connections.


We will also explore why these films put so many people off, even pissing them off, and the controversy around Jeanne Dielman in particular - but more importantly, we will discuss each of the 4 major feature films Akerman made in the 70s - timestamps included:


  • Je tu il elle / I, You, He, She (1974) - 00:17:12
  • Jeanne Dielman (1975)- 00:32:45
  • News From Home (1976) - 00:52:07
  • Les rendez-vous d'Anna / The Meetings of Anna (1978) - 01:05:01


We also made the decision to include the more often overlooked 5th major film she made immediately after her 4 early masterpieces:


  • Toute une nuit / A Whole Night (1982) - 01:16:40


A worthy inclusion in this set? Let us know, but we felt we had to talk about it!


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The Early Masterpieces of Chantal Akerman

The Early Masterpieces of Chantal Akerman

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