Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, 1975
Promotional photographs
Anouk De Clercq in conversation with Jan Decorte1
‘My name is Jan and I play the role of Sylvain in Chantal’s film, called Jeanne Dielman’ 2
Chantal Akerman and I first met in 1974. In those days, there was a Belgian film festival in Brussels. It was held at Passage 44, and they showed alternative films, such as Vase de Noces by Thierry Zéno. I especially remember Chantal’s I, You, He, She. At the time, I was working as a film reporter for radio, mainly to earn some money, but I was interested in film. I spoke with all the directors there, but I especially remember the meeting with Chantal as being especially pleasant and interesting. I felt that I, You, He, She was an absolute masterpiece, and I told her so. From that very first conversation, we never stopped talking.
During the festival, the filmmakers and reporters met in the festival canteen, so we saw each other every day. At the time, I was a jaunty dresser, and Chantal always noticed that. One day she suggested I might like to do the costumes for her new film. I said yes, but I also left it open-ended, because it was not my ambition in life to produce costumes. But I was flattered that she had asked me. As the festival went on, we saw more and more of each other, and we fell in love. It was as lovers that we began talking about our film plans.
She was working on the screenplay of Jeanne Dielman and I was busy with the scenario of Pierre, my first film. We decided to write the screenplay for Jeanne Dielman together: after all, I was a dramatist by training. One day she told me that she envisioned me in the role of Jeanne Dielman’s son.
‘My name is Jan and I play the role of Sylvain…’
Promotional photographs
Installation views from the exhibitions 1989: End of History or Beginning of the Future?, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, 2009–10 and Chantal Akerman: Passages, Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam, 2020
Editors
Céline Brouwez
Marta Ponsa
Laurence Rassel
Alberta Sessa Coordination
Lætitia Moukouri (Jeu de Paume), assisted by Clara Bonura and Marine Morin
Vera Kotaji (Bozar)
Sarah Theerlynck (Lannoo), assisted by Michiel Verplancke
Translation from the Dutch Michael Lomax
Translation from the French Daniel Levin Becker
Translation from the Spanish Miriam Rosen
Copy-editing Linda Schofield
Graphic Design Lisa Sturacci
Lithography
Fotimprim Steurs
If you have any questions or comments about the material in this book, please do not hesitate to contact our editorial team: art@lannoo.com
ISBN: 9789401410922
D/2024/45/121
BISAC : ART057000
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Front cover:
Scouting photograph of The Meetings of Anna, 1978
Back cover:
Set photograph of From the East, 1993