‘Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles’ voted as the greatest movie of all time in Sight and Sound poll
The Chantal Akerman film Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles has been voted as the greatest film of all time in BFI’s decennial vote among 1,639 participating critics.
The first female filmmaker to take the number-one spot ever since the inception of the poll in 1952, Chantal Akerman’s film went from 36th place in the 2012 poll straight to number one. Voted for by critics, academics, distributors, writers, curators, archivists and programmers, the poll placed the 2012 winner Vertigo, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, at number two, whilst Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, which once took the top spot, is placed third.
Speaking about the significant new shift in the top ten, editor of Sight and Sound magazine stated, “Jeanne Dielman challenged the status quo when it was released in 1975 and continues to do so today. It’s a landmark feminist film, and its position at the top of list is emblematic of better representation in the top 100 for women filmmakers. While it’s great to see previous winners Vertigo and Citizen Kane complete the top three, Jeanne Dielman’s success reminds us that there is a world of under-seen and under-appreciated gems out there to be discovered”.
Elsewhere in the top 10, Yasujirō Ozu’s Tokyo Story took number four, whilst Wong Kar-wai’s romantic drama In the Mood for Love snatched the number five spot, moving 19 places from the 2012 poll.
Released in 1975, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles is an experimental arthouse classic that tells the story of a lonely widow who goes about her normal routine, clearing her apartment and doing chores in Akerman’s curious three-and-a-half-hour film. Exploring questions of contemporary femininity and much more, the 1975 film, starring Delphine Seyrig has long been regarded as revolutionary.
Take a look at the list’s top 20 in the Sight and Sound video posted to Twitter, below.
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