Film: Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
Director: Chantal Akerman
Country: Belgium
Released: May 1975
Runtime: 201 minutes
Genre: Slow Cinema
Studio: Paradise Films / Unité Trois
Influenced: Agnès Varda, Claire Denis, Todd Haynes, Kelly Reichardt, Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Jeanne Dielman has been dubbed the "greatest film of all time" (source: Sight & Sound, 2022). It's certainly a bold claim, and one that may look faintly ridiculous once the current tide of overcorrection goes out. To my mind, there are at least three films from 1975 alone (Jaws, Mirror and Barry Lyndon) that would rank higher than Jeanne Dielman in terms of influence and rewatch value, but it's clear that what is most prized about this film by critics is Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman's groundbreaking focus on immersing audiences in the mundane routines of domestic life. Following the daily travails of Jeanne Dielman, played by Delphine Seyrig, a middle-aged widow and mother living in Brussels, the film is set over the course of three days, focusing on the repetitive domestic tasks she performs, such as cooking, cleaning and running errands.
Akerman deliberately slows down the pace of the film, emphasising the minutiae of Jeanne's actions and the oppressive routine that governs her life. While Jeanne's activities may seem banal, the film gradually reveals subtle tensions and deviations from her usual routine. As the days progress, she becomes increasingly preoccupied, her actions becoming slightly disjointed. She engages in sporadic sexual encounters with male clients, offering a glimpse into her hidden desires (but also serving as a metaphor – the men use Jeanne as efficiently as she uses their money). Akerman's long takes, often lasting several minutes, capture the slow unfolding of Jeanne's daily activities. These static shots allow the audience to observe and reflect upon the laborious nature of domestic work, which until that point had been typically taken for granted or marginalised in cinema. By immersing the viewer in the repetitive nature of Jeanne's routine, the film confronts social expectations surrounding gender roles and the emotional toll of women's domestic labour.
Each shot was meticulously planned, emphasising the visual composition and spatial dynamics within the frame. One of the most famous scenes in the film involves Jeanne cooking veal chops, which unfolds with deliberate slowness and precision, capturing Jeanne's repetitive actions and the banality of her daily life. Akerman presents a fixed frame, emphasising the importance of space and routine. The mise-en-scène is meticulously arranged, with every movement carefully choreographed. The audience becomes acutely aware of the passage of time as they observe Jeanne methodically completing each step of the cooking process. By depicting these mundane activities in real-time, Akerman forces the viewers to confront their own relationship with time and everyday chores, and the gendered division of domestic labour.
Akerman's film has gradually grown in influence over the decades and continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers who also seek to explore the complexities of women's lives on screen. As well as its feminist credentials, the film has been widely praised for its uncompromising commitment to realism. Akerman presents a slice of life with unflinching honesty, depicting the mundanity and isolation of Jeanne's existence, and what's most unique and original about Akerman's filmmaking style is her ability to transform the mundane into thought-provoking art. Akerman's masterful direction and Seyrig's powerful performance have been lauded by critics and filmmakers, and Jeanne Dielman continues to be studied, discussed and analysed by scholars, making it a now seminal work in the cinematic canon.
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