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A review by claraolliva
My Mother Laughs by Chantal Akerman
4.0
Akerman's writing is wonderful though deeply saddening. I found it interesting the way she collapses time and is often unclear about which person in her life she is referring to, which led to some new imaginative associations and felt quite dream-like.
I also found that the photos and film stills woven throughout made me see the writing in a different light, and that the pages which were completely blank took on a meaning of their own. At times it felt like I could hear her voice as I was reading it.
Her filmmaking takes the backseat for most of the book but the metaphor of her aim to capture a trace of the dead in shadows was striking, and how she immediately moved on to talk about the beginning of her relationship with C.
The last line and last photo were touching.
I also found that the photos and film stills woven throughout made me see the writing in a different light, and that the pages which were completely blank took on a meaning of their own. At times it felt like I could hear her voice as I was reading it.
Her filmmaking takes the backseat for most of the book but the metaphor of her aim to capture a trace of the dead in shadows was striking, and how she immediately moved on to talk about the beginning of her relationship with C.
The last line and last photo were touching.