My Mother Laughs

My Mother Laughs

<p>First published in France in 2013, <i>My Mother Laughs</i> is the final book written by the legendary and beloved Belgian artist and director Chantal Akerman (1950–2015) before her death. A moving and unforgettable memoir, the book delves deeply into one of the central themes and focuses of Akerman’s often autobiographical films: her mother, who was the direct subject of her final film <i>No Home Movie</i> (2015).<br>With a particular focus on the difficulties Akerman faced in conjunction with the end of her mother’s life, the book combines a matter-of-fact writing style with family photographs and stills from her own films in order to better convey the totality of her experience. Akerman writes: "With pride because I finally believed in my ability to say something that I’d had trouble saying. I told myself, I am strong for once, I speak. I tell the truth." <br><B>Chantal Akerman</B> (1950–2015) was a Belgian film director, screenwriter, artist and professor. She is best known for her film <I>Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles</I> (1975), which was dubbed a "masterpiece" by the <I>New York Times</I>. During her 42 years of active filmmaking, Akerman's influence on queer, feminist and avant-garde cinema remains unmatched, her films highlighting a near-physical passage of time. Akerman's films have been shown at the Venice Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, among many others.</p>