The best film of all time is Belgian

A jury composed of more than 1,600 film professionals from all over the world: critics, programmers, film-makers, has met every ten years since 1952 at the initiative of the British magazine Sight & Sound to select the best film.

Ten years ago it was Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo that won the award.

And this year, it is the film of a female (a first) and Belgian director (also a first) Chantal Akerman that has won the prestigious title of best film with Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles.

Shot in the 1970s, the film follows the bleak daily life of a widowed mother, living alone with her son, who engages in prostitution to make ends meet. The meticulous way in which this daily life is considered makes it a drama with an intense feeling of suspense.

This film ousts great classics such as 'Cold Sweat', 'Citizen Kane', 'In the Mood for Love', 'The Godfather', and a more recent film such as 'Parasite' to name but a few.

Also, it should be noted that our Belgian director is doubly rewarded with a second film ranked 55th on the prestigious list with the documentary 'News from Home' which consists of long takes of locations in New York City as she reads letters that her mother sent.

‘Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles ’, a Belgian feminist film at the top of international cinema is a surprise that will have the merit of highlighting a figurehead of modern cinema, Chantal Akerman.