MOVIE REVIEW
No Home Movie
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2015, 2024 Icarus Films Blu-ray
Runtime: 1h 55m
Director(s): Chantal Akerman
Language: French with English subtitles
Where To Watch: available now here: www.vinegarsyndrome.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Chantal Akerman's NO HOME MOVIE is a powerful, unflinching look at her mother Natalia's final days. This film strays far from the conventional documentary path to offer an authentic glimpse into the profound intimacy and inevitable detachment of approaching death. Here, Akerman does not sugarcoat or ease the viewer into a comfortable viewing experience; instead, she presents a stark reality filled with moments of silence that are as expressive as any dialogue. This is a film that you must be prepared for; make sure you’re in a good place before clicking play!

Akerman offers NO HOME MOVIE as a collection of fragmented life scenes—conversations that seem to capture the essence of a lifetime; every day turned monumental, and prolonged shots that frame nature’s relentless forces. Among the scenes is a lone tree battling a fierce storm, a scene that I didn’t understand until the documentary dove into its story.

The film is captured through many Skype/Zoom-style calls, a medium that connects and separates Chantal and her mother. These segments are shot to make the audience feel like an outsider looking in, peering into private moments that underscore the solitude that technology can impose even as it connects.

This film departs from Akerman’s previous styles, such as in JEANNE DIELMAN, by eschewing a structured storyline and embracing a tapestry of experiences that challenge the viewer to find continuity and meaning. It’s a contemplative journey through the themes of transience and the disconnect that often accompanies it, all set against backdrops ranging from the intimate confines of an apartment to the expansive desolation of outdoor scenes. Although, if you’ve watched JEANNE DIELMAN, you’ll also feel familiar with the structure of this film.

Natalia Akerman’s subdued yet profound presence throughout the film adds depth to every frame. Her experiences as a Holocaust survivor are portrayed with subtlety and respect, focusing not on overt emotional displays but on the authenticity and resilience of her spirit. This understated approach allows viewers to project their emotions onto the film, engaging with Natalia’s history through their lenses.

Visually, the film contrasts tight interior spaces with broad, desolate landscapes, mirroring the inner turmoil of personal isolation against the vastness of the outer world. This visual dichotomy enhances the film's exploration of intimacy versus isolation, a theme that resonates throughout Akerman’s filmography.

At its core, NO HOME MOVIE celebrates the quiet, often unnoticed moments that define our relationships. The film's power lies in these interactions, which showcase the true essence of connection—not through grandiose gestures but through the simple, quiet moments of everyday existence. However, Akerman’s stark, minimalist direction may not be to everyone's taste. Her deliberate avoidance of narrative clarity and traditional aesthetics challenges the viewer, potentially alienating those unfamiliar with such raw, experimental cinema.

Moreover, NO HOME MOVIE also serves as Akerman's farewell to cinema, completed shortly before her death. This context imbues the film with a layer of melancholy and introspection, marking it as a reflection on personal and universal themes of loss and legacy.

NO HOME MOVIE is crafted not for casual enjoyment but for deep, reflective engagement. It is an uncompromising examination of the complexities of human relationships, the relentless march of time, and the indelible imprints we leave behind. For those willing to engage with its deliberate pacing and unconventional structure, the film offers a profound meditation on life and the quiet that follows its cessation.

Additional info:

• Region A Blu-ray
  • Bonus documentary:
    I DON'T BELONG ANYWHERE: THE CINEMA OF CHANTAL AKERMAN explores some of the Belgian filmmaker's 40-plus films, and from Brussels to Tel Aviv, from Paris to New York, it charts the sites of her peregrinations. An experimental filmmaker, a nomad, Chantal Akerman shared with Marianne Lambert her cinematic trajectory, one that never ceased to interrogate the meaning of her existence. With her editor and long-time collaborator, Claire Atherton, she examines the origins of her film language and aesthetic stance. (67 minutes)
• English SDH subtitles

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[photo courtesy of ICARUS FILMS, OCN DISTRIBUTION]

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