We’re bringing of full season of six films from legendary director Chantal Akerman! These are some of the greatest films of all time, from JE TU IL ELLE to JEANNE DIELMAN to NEWS FROM HOME and many more.

With our season CHANTAL AKERMAN: UNCATEGORISABLE, we invite you to explore the world of Chantal Akerman, one of the most influential filmmakers in modern cinema. Known for her innovative style and deeply personal stories, Akerman’s films are unlike anything you’ve seen before - beautiful, thought-provoking, and quietly powerful. Through her unique approach to storytelling, she captured the often mundane complexities of everyday life, love, and identity in ways that feel both intimate and universal. Whether you’re new to her work or already a fan, this series is a chance to experience a genius of a filmmaker who changed the way we think about movies as art.

We begin with Chantal’s debut feature JE TU IL ELLE from 1974. Akerman’s bold debut follows a young woman (played by Akerman herself) in isolation as she explores her desire and emotional longing. Minimalist and raw, it’s a perfect introduction to her groundbreaking style. It’s also noted for having the first graphic lesbian sex scene in mainstream cinema.

Akerman’s second feature, and arguably her most famous, is JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES from 1975. It’s been regularly noted as a towering achievement in feminist filmmaking. A hypnotic portrayal of a widowed mother’s daily routine, the film achingly slowly reveals the crushing monotony of domestic life and the unspoken pressures placed on women. With its long takes, Akerman’s film totally redefined cinematic language and, in 2022, made history by topping Sight and Sound’s once-a-decade poll as the greatest film of all time. A masterclass in patience, it remains an essential work of feminist and avant-garde cinema.

Akerman’s 1976 avant-garde documentary NEWS FROM HOME pairs letters from her mother in Belgium with scenes of bustling and grimy New York City streets, creating an emotional document of distance, family, and alienation. It’s haunting, personal, and deeply resonant.

We continue this six film season with LES RENDEZ-VOUS D’ANNA from 1978. This semi-autobiographical drama follows Anna, a filmmaker on a promotional tour, as she moves through cities and encounters friends, lovers, and family. As with many of her other pictures, it shows a fascination with isolation and disconnection, as Anna drifts through a series of fleeting but emotional interactions.

Then, into a new decade with a genuine departure in tone and style as Akerman brings her artistry to the musical with 1986’s GOLDEN EIGHTIES. A colorful and bittersweet story set in a Parisian shopping mall. The film weaves together the loves and heartbreaks of a group of characters against a backdrop of pop songs and pastel aesthetics. This one is a rarely screened treat!

And finally, we end our season with 2000’s LA CAPTIVE. This tense, sensual psychological drama about obsession, follows Simon, a man consumed by jealousy as he surveils and manipulates his lover, Ariane. With its hypnotic pacing and gorgeous cinematography, LA CAPTIVE is a haunting exploration of love and power. A modern reimagining of Marcel Proust through Akerman’s distinct lens.

Whether you’re discovering Chantal Akerman for the first time or revisiting her work, this series offers a rich tapestry of her art. These films challenge, provoke, and inspire, demonstrating Akerman’s legacy as a true cinematic trailblazer. Let’s celebrate the work of Chantal Akerman this March and April at the PCC!