News from Home

This desolate musing on the elusive nature of home exquisitely juxtaposes New York’s lonely, empty streets with letters from ‘a distant voice’, Akerman’s mother.

  • Director

    Chantal Akerman

  • Belgium-France 1976. 89min

  • Digital (restoration)

  • French version with English subtitles

This beautifully captured time capsule of 1970s New York City is Akerman’s most elegantly minimalist and profoundly affecting meditation on dislocation and estrangement. Over a series of exactingly composed shots of Manhattan, the filmmaker reads letters sent by her mother years earlier. A tender meditation on urban alienation and personal disconnection.

The screenings on Sunday 2 February 16:00 NFT2 and Sunday 9 March 12:15 NFT1 will be presented with additional Descriptive Subtitles of non-dialogue audio.

The screening of News from Home on Wednesday 19 February 20:45 NFT1 will be introduced by Nicole Flattery, writer and Sight and Sound columnist.

Also available on BFI Player