Name: Histoires d'Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy
Genre: Drama
Released: 1989-10-04
Duration: 1 h 32 min
Rating: 6.7
Cast: Mark Amitin, Eszter Balint, István Bálint

it's sub-title: Family and Philosophy, almost tells all

This is the first film I've seen by Chantal Ackerman, and I'm mixed as to see more of her films. I see so much here, even as I have personal criticisms of certain things in her style. I wondered when the film would end at times (not knowing the running time seeing it), and its shifting between rye, sly Jewish jokes and sad tales of Jews escaping the horrors (or not) of holocaust and the working-class immigrant's life, is very unexpected. But then again, the film has the feel of being a hybrid of documentary and fiction, with actors (there's character Kirk Baltz somewhere in there) and perhaps non-actors or really off-off Broadway people. As I was told, this is in the tradition of black-box theater, in particular Jewish ones, and its filmed with an invariable European feel and mood by Ackerman. Certain jokes were very amusing (there's even one that was featured in Coming to America!), and others that reminded me of the 'it's not funny but hmm' feeling of those in Jarmusch films. 

The stories told are very long, and the shot-lengths go neck-and-neck in competition with other art-house filmmakers to be some of the longer ones in cinematic memory. Sometimes there is movement to the film, as in the brief, interesting conversations with the older characters. And there is some nice, understated dialog in the 'restaurant' scenes. It's really for a specific audience, and is unique for better or worse, the kind of underground movie that has a lot to ponder about the Jewish-American (and European, mostly Polish, Jewish) experience. Some of the stories, indeed, are rather horrific in scope, while others question what life is living in the less-classy side of the city of New York. And the film is given not only a beautiful opening image of the city from a small boat, but a brilliant end scene with an old man in the middle of a field, recanting a very sweet story. Hard to find (watched it in a class), and was glad to watch, once, as a good introduction to Ackerman.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Histoires d'Amérique: Food, Family and Philosophy

The stories of Jewish immigrants in New York City are told with characteristic humor.

Billy Bastiani in American Stories: Food, Family and Philosophy (1989)

American Stories: Food, Family and Philosophy

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Chantal Akerman in American Stories: Food, Family and Philosophy (1989)

American Stories: Food, Family and Philosophy (1989)

American Stories: Food, Family and Philosophy

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