Brussels - New York (not Paris). Space in Chantal Akerman's early films.

Belgian’s most renowned filmmaker, Chantal Akerman (1950-2015), had something with (urban) space. In the first half of her career (from 1968 up to the early 90s) two places are prominently present in Akerman’s films: Brussels and New York, albeit in very different ways. Birthplace Brussels seems to exist only as private interiors. On the other hand New York exists principally as a public exterior. I explore what the specific construction of narrative space – New York as ‘real’ and objective, Brussels as ‘fictional’ and subjective – tells us about Akerman’s ‘truth’.

Publication year:2018

Keywords:Chantal Akerman, space in film, BRUSSELS, New York, Film studies

Accessibility:Open