Belgium
Chantal Akerman is a unique director whose minimalist compositions have earned her a reputation as one of cinema’s foremost screen artists. Best known for her 1975 film Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, Akerman’s body of non-fiction work stands out with deliberately punctuated documentaries, giving the term “fly on the wall” new meaning. While Akerman’s body of work is varied, her vision of melding reality and fantasy are sometimes indistinguishable, and this omnibus of her work shines a light on an omniscient eye for capturing the world around us.
One problem with modern society at the moment seems to be an obsession with nostalgia, which is being milked by marketing companies. This has bled into the hipster movement and has lead to the larger debate of analogue vs digital as digital technologies develop. It is now bleeding into every aspect of pop culture, and it is one which can be seen in film.
Over the course of a film spanning a mere two days, the Dardenne Brothers have demonstrated the fundamental characteristics of life, with all of its virtues and vices unabridged. Money as the root of all evil Two Days, One Night depicts the debacle of a Belgian woman named Sandra, who, after taking sick leave to battle depression, is laid off from her job; a decision voted on by her coworkers, who were forced to choose between her and their year-end bonuses. Through an altercation between the foreman, however, who intimidated a majority of the workers to vote against her, Sandra is given a second chance, which would be a re-vote on the following Monday.
There are a million great films outside the U.S, it’s just you haven’t seen them. Good fortune smiles on you today because I’m here to show 15 foreign flicks you should have seen a long time ago.