The Inner World of Women: Chantal Akerman’s Early Work
Abstract
The author analyzes the early films of the Belgian director Chantal Akerman, focusing on the major theme of confined spaces and interiors as well as the private and intimate worlds of the heroines. He refers to Akerman’s early work such as Blow up My Town, I, You, He, She, Hotel Monterey, Jeanne Dielman, News from Home, Meetings with Anna. Syska describes Akerman’s art project, highlighting the role of structuralism and feminism, and at the same time places them in the of film modernism, tradition, which the director has used consciously. Claustrophobic rooms, the theme of doors and windows, an atmosphere of being cut off and all alone in isolated spaces are all meaningful metaphors in Akerman’s work. All of these expose women’s experience, sexual difference, fear and cultural alienation. Communication with one’s own body, the internal language of emotion, the dialogue with private memories overlap with the relationship of the heroines with their nearest surrounding space - narrow and isolated, but their own, though giving rise to feelings of alienation and anxiety.
Keywords:
Chantal Akerman, modernism, feminismReferences
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Authors
Rafał Syskakwartalnik.filmowy@ispan.pl
Jagiellonian University Poland
Historyk filmu, doktor habilitowany w Instytucie Sztuk Audiowizualnych UJ. Autor książek poświęconych przemocy w kinie (Film i przemoc. Sposoby obrazowania filmowych aktów przemocy) i twórcom kina autorskiego (Zachować dystans. Filmowy świat Roberta Altmana, Poezja obrazu. Filmy Theo Angelopoulosa). Redaktor Słownika filmu, a obecnie współredaktor wielotomowych publikacji Mistrzowie kina amerykańskiego i Historia kina.
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Copyright (c) 2012 Rafał Syska
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