Pass The Popcorn, ‘Jeanne Dielman’ and the Art of an ‘Ordinary’ Life

March 27th, 2025

Is there really such a thing as an ordinary life?

For audiences at Film Streams’ Weekend Essentials series, that question will be explored through Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, a 1975 classic directed by Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman. The film, screening at the Dundee Theater on March 29 and 30, is a striking study of routine, solitude and the unseen weight of everyday existence.

At just 25, Akerman crafted what would become one of the most influential feminist films in cinema history. Over its 3.5-hour runtime, the film follows Jeanne Dielman (Delphine Seyrig), a widowed mother, as she meticulously moves through the motions of her daily life. She prepares meals, bathes, folds laundry and runs errands with quiet precision. Her existence appears unremarkable—until subtle disruptions in her routine reveal something deeper beneath the surface.

What sets Jeanne Dielman apart is its radical patience. There are no sweeping scores or dramatic transitions. Instead, the film unfolds in real-time, immersing viewers in the rhythms of Jeanne’s life. Akerman’s cinematography invites the audience to observe rather than interpret, placing them alongside Jeanne as she peels potatoes, makes coffee or waits in silence.

Yet even in its quietness, the film asks an unsettling question: Do we ever truly know someone? Do we even know ourselves?

Seyrig’s performance is restrained, her emotions concealed behind downcast eyes and the mechanical execution of her chores. Even her transactional encounters—where she trades sex for money to make ends meet—are absorbed seamlessly into her daily schedule, revealing little about her inner world.

But beneath the repetition, a tension builds. A missed beat in her routine. A slight hesitation. A moment that lingers just a little too long. Akerman’s masterpiece suggests that even the most structured lives are not immune to cracks.

For those accustomed to today’s fast-paced, CGI-laden blockbusters, Jeanne Dielman offers a rare cinematic experience—one that asks viewers to sit, watch and listen to the unembellished sounds of life itself.

The film will be shown at the Dundee Theater on March 29 and 30 at 10 a.m. at the Ruth Sokolof Theater. For more information, visit FilmStreams.org.