Through a series of long takes, JEANNE DIELMAN details the methodical housework and psychological turmoil of a middle-class mother and part-time prostitute (Delphine Seyrig). Over the course of Jeanne's daily rituals (and the film's three-hour-plus running time), her tensions slowly break the ice of her blank affect, leading to a extraordinary climax. A landmark of feminist cinema, this oppressive drama from 25-year-old director Chantal Akerman has divided both critics and audiences: but few can doubt the power of actress Delphine Seyrig's masterful, nearly silent performance.