News from Home (1976)

Chantal Akerman: Self - Letter Reader

Quotes 

• Herself - Letter Reader : I received your screenplay. It's well-written, but you know my taste: I find it sad and gloomy. Those people sure have a hard life. It's an important social issue. I hope it will turn out well. The public must be made aware of all this suffering that you young people see so clearly.

• Herself - Letter Reader : I hope it's not too hot. I know sunny weather depresses you and you don't even have any sandals.

• Herself - Letter Reader : I miss you and hope to see you soon. Sylviane misses you terribly too. She sometimes dreams you're back.

• Herself - Letter Reader : I don't have much news. Summer's been oddly cool, but they're predicting a heat wave. Business is still slow and Father's worried because he took out a loan. I get bored in the shop. Luckily Sylviane finished her exams and keeps me company now. It's the same for everyone. We're all just waiting. We won't do much tonight because Thérèse is ill, so we'll watch TV, as usual.

• Herself - Letter Reader : I'm glad that you don't have that job anymore and that you're liking New York. People here are surprised. They say New York is terrible, inhuman. Perhaps they don't really know it and are too quick to judge.

• Herself - Letter Reader : I'm very tired now and look awful, but otherwise I'm fine.

• Herself - Letter Reader : Not much news here. Father's throat is getting better. I had no time to rest. I had to get back to the shop. Lydia will help out mornings and I'll take over at noon. Danny passed his exams. He's going to study photography in Paris. His parents are resigned to it, though they'd have preferred something else. I haven't seen them since their vacation in Spain, but we spoke on the phone. It was hot and crowded and they're never going back. Everyone asks about you.

• Herself - Letter Reader : I'm so glad you speak English now. It must help to fit in.

• Herself - Letter Reader : Father took me to the seaside during the strike. I felt much better. A lot of our friends were there. Other than that, no big news.

• [first lines] 

  Herself - Letter Reader : Dearest child, I received your letter and hope you'll write often. In any case, I hope you'll be home soon. I hope you're behaving and that you've found work by now. I think you're happy in New York, so we're happy too, even though we do miss you. When will you be back?

• Herself - Letter Reader : I dream about you and hope you're happy.

• Herself - Letter Reader : Father dreamed about you last night. He was terribly shaken, because you came back and then you were gone. He was depressed all day. I didn't know how to cheer him up. Write soon. When he knows you're doing well, his fears vanish.

• Herself - Letter Reader : If you wrote more frequently I would worry less.