Chantal Akerman's last film, No Home Movie, is a deeply personal portrait of the filmmakers relationship with her mother, a woman who clearly meant the world to her. A somewhat laborious effort for the novice viewer, No Home Movie is a tepidly paced documentary that offers intricate insight to both Chantal Akerman as well as her mother, who is slowly succumbing to father time. Consisting completely of static compositons, the camera in No Home Movie is an unobtrusive observer for a large portion of the film, capturing the quiet, stillness of the mother's current life, one in which she misses her daughter very much. When Chantal is around, the film beautifully captures the love and tenderness between them. Just their conversations, whether rooted in Nostalgia or day-to-day happenings, through the way they communicate it is very apparent how much they love one and other. As No Home Movie progresses it becomes more and more compelling, as this quiet feeling of isolation begins to envelope the film. It's not dreary by any means, but one begins to get the impression that both Chantal and her mother suffer from similar bouts of depression centered around loneliness. No Home Movies greatest attribute is how it captures the pain that comes with unconditional love, with Chantal and her mother both suffering from anxiety and the fear of emotionally hurting one and other. Much of this stems from Chantal being on the road so much due to her profession, and the way No Home Movie uses image to express these emotions is impressive. From the opening shot of a tree violently swaying from gushing winds, to the barren landscapes throughout the film, Akerman uses images to symbolically capture her own emotional struggle. The camera, while mostly static, does at times come to life, symbolically representing Akerman herself, a reflective window into her soul. When the mother's sickness begins to threaten her ability to communicate and eat, New From Home takes on a much darker palette in her home, with heavy use of silhouettes and dimly lit rooms, another example of the quiet, expressionistic quality of the film. Complex, introspective, and deeply personal, Chantal Akerman's final film is a poignant portrait of love, loneliness, and even depression at times, being a phenomenal companion piece with Akerman's earlier work, News From Home.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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