This 50-Year-Old Drama With 95% RT Is the Best Movie Made by a Female Director

The British Film Institute updates its list of the 100 greatest films every ten years. For decades, titans like Citizen Kane and Vertigo have topped the list.

However, the latest ranking saw a historic shift in power when, for the first time, a movie directed by a woman took the top spot.

That film was Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. This drama is now recognized as not just a major female masterpiece, but also as one of the most important works in the history of cinema.

What Is 'Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles' About?

The plot revolves around three days in the life of Jeanne Dielman, a widow and single mother living in Brussels. Her life is a well-oiled machine – she makes breakfast for her son, goes shopping, cleans, and cooks dinner.

She receives clients during strictly designated hours, earning extra money as a prostitute – just enough time for potatoes to boil.

The movie unfolds almost entirely within her modest apartment. Shot with a static camera, it captures every routine action in long takes, some of which last 10 to 15 minutes.

Chantal Akerman's Movie Was Considered One of the Best Films in History

Jeanne Dielman has long been considered a benchmark for slow cinema and a cult classic in select film circles, influencing countless filmmakers.

However, its inclusion at the top of the BFI list was a symbolic act that cemented the film's place in the pantheon of absolute classics. It's not only the finest movie directed by a woman – it's also a milestone that divides cinema history into before and after.

Its laconicism and apparent simplicity reveal a universal and frighteningly accurate portrait of alienation that anyone can face, regardless of gender.

'Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles' Was a Breakthrough Work for Its Time

In 1975, the movie made a radical artistic statement. Inspired by Godard's 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her and Italian neorealist traditions, Akerman consciously rejected the fundamental conventions of classical cinema.

She minimized editing and rejected camera movement, close-ups, and depth of field, creating a poetics of neutrality. In this form, everyday action lasts exactly as long as it would in reality. It was a manifesto in itself.

Akerman challenged the male gaze of traditional narrative cinema and sought a new cinematic language to express the female experience.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles'?

• The movie has 95% from critics and 77% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, it has a score of 7.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, the movie scored 4.3/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles'?

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles is available to stream on HBO Max and Criterion Channel.