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Chantal Akerman Biography

Birth Name:Chantal Anne Akerman

Birth Place:Brussels, Belgium

Profession Director, Writer, Actress, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor, Soundtrack, Sound department, Music department

Fast Facts

  • Her first film, the 1968 short "Blow Up My City," was a black-and-white film she made at the age of 18 which shows her destroying her kitchen
  • Was inspired to become a filmmaker after seeing Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 film "Pierrot le Fou" when she was a teenager
  • Quote: "[on "Hotel Monterey"] "I was breathing, and then at one point I understood it was the time to cut․ It was my breathing that decided the length of my shots․""
  • Quote: "[on "Jeanne Dielman"] "Change is dangerous․ Change is fear, change is opening the jail․ That's why it is so difficult for yourself to change deeply․""
  • In 2011, she joined City College of New York as a visiting lecturer
  • Best known as a pioneer of feminist and experimental filmmaking who directed "A Couch in New York" and "Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles․"
  • Created the video installation "Women From Antwerp" in 2007, which was shown at the Marian Goodman Gallery in New York

Awards

  • 1978André Cavens Award-: winner
  • 1978Bronze Hugo-Best Film: winner
  • 1980Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
  • 1983Un Certain Regard Award-: nominated
  • 1991Bronze Horse-: nominated
  • 1991Golden Lion-: nominated
  • 1996Award of Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention-: winner
  • 1996Crystal Globe-: nominated
  • 1999C.I.C.A.E. Award-: nominated
  • 1999SACD Prize-Directors' Fortnight: nominated
  • 2000Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2000C.I.C.A.E. Award-: nominated
  • 2001Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Award - Special Mention-: winner
  • 2002Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2003Joseph Plateau Award-Best Belgian Documentary: nominated
  • 2004Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
  • 2005Lumiere Award-Best French-Language Film (Meilleur film francophone): winner
  • 2007C.I.C.A.E. Award-: nominated
  • 2007SACD Prize-Directors' Fortnight: nominated
  • 2015Golden Leopard-: nominated
  • 2015New Waves Non-Fiction Award-Special Mention: winner
  • 2016IBAFF Award-Best Feature Film: nominated
  • 2016The Avner Shalev Yad Vashem Chairman's Award-Best Feature: winner