Director Chantal Ackerman’s “No Home Movie,” when shown at the 2015 New York Film Festival, coincided with news of her sudden death. The screening became a farewell to the director who had captivated many fans of her unique style, not appreciated by everyone, but one with a profound record of original and provocative cinema.
The subject for her film is her mother, whose final days are chronicled. Once again, Ackerman demands utmost indulgence. She uses ultra-long takes of scenery that, while establishing the languid mood and context can be unbearably boring and prompt a viewer to want her to get on with it.
The most interesting sequences are her interviews with her mother, a Holocaust survivor, and her responses. She is depicted in her Brussels apartment, with Ackerman hovering about, posing questions and following her mother’s daily routine, including with the presence of a helper.
As for the trademark wrap-around scenes, they try my patience, as they may yours, unless you are one of Ackerman’s unquestioning devotees. Posted November 1, 2015.