The Beloved Child, or I Play at Being a Married Woman
Chantal Akerman is omnipresent in Brussels this spring with a retrospective at Bozar and her entire oeuvre on display at CINEMATEK.
The Beloved Child, or I Play at Being a Married Woman, a recently restored 1971 short film, is far less well-known than Jeanne Dielman. Here, a mother seeks support from a friend, portrayed by Akerman herself, who does not utter a word. She is a peculiar presence; though present in the situation, she does not undertake any action.
The short film is an intimate portrait of a young woman who, during her day-to-day routines, reflects on her family, sex life, and body. The tension between domestic life and a woman’s inner feelings will also become important themes in Akerman’s later work.
Dis-moi, a medium-length documentary in which Akerman talks to Jewish women and survivors of the Shoah, will also be screened that evening. Dutch author Niña Weijers (Kamers antikamers, De consequenties) will discuss her and Akerman’s work with art critic Joséphine Vandekerckhove.
