Copy restored by the Fondation Chantal Akerman and the Cinémathèque royale de Belgique.

Belgian avant-garde filmmaker Chantal Akerman set out to film From the East shortly after the Soviet Union collapsed. Her journey took her from East Germany to Russia, passing through Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. These countries provided the geographical backdrop for Akerman's exploration of the region in the wake of this historic event. In this slow-paced and meditative film, devoid of dialogue, Akerman captures the essence of an era before it vanishes into history. Time and space take center stage here, shaping the film's distinctive tone. Alternating between traveling shots and static long takes, the multitude of recorded images of landscapes and people evoke a profound sense of isolation, with residents appearing distraught and uncertain in the face of political dissolution. The film stands out with its minimalist cinematic style and profound thematic depth, effectively immortalizing the Eastern Bloc with its haunting portrayal of a world in flux. (ME)

The screening of this restored print is a companion screening to Sonia Wieder-Atherton in Concert: a Tribute to Chantal Akerman.

With the support of the Délégation générale Wallonie-Bruxelles au Québec

D'Est