@NYFF53 Day 13: An Unexpected Goodbye To Chantal Ackerman ('No Home Movie'); Goodbye of Another Kind in 'The Measure of a Man'

The life's work of the late Chantal Akerman revolved around her mother. Photo from Chantal Akerman Facebook page.

Expect a somber tone this evening at the 53rd New York Film Festival, owing to the recent death of director Chantal Akerman.

Her latest film, “No Home Movie,” has its U.S. premiere. CA was expected to appear at the screening.

Now, film critic Amy Taubin will introduce the film, chronicling CA’s conversations with her mother, Natalia, an Auschwitz survivor. Natalia, the subject of virtually all of CA’s work, died last year shortly after “No Home Movie” was completed.

Tonight’s mood will not be aided by Stephane Brize’s “The Measure of a Man (“La Loi du marché”).

Like “Mia Madre (“My Mother,” http://www.ow.ly/SIsbW), another NYFF53 entry, its theme is so universal and au courant that it provides no distraction for viewers looking for escape.

Making its North American debut, “The Measure of a Man” catalogs the perverse experiences of an everyday family man after he is laid off from his longtime job.

Vincent Lindon is brilliant as Thierry, a decent sort who cannot catch a break. One feels his pain in his bewildered countenance and slightly hunched shoulders. His performance is explosive in that it is quiet, controlled, contained. How much more can he take before he explodes or implodes?

Vincent Lindon as Thierry in "The Measure of a Man." Photo from "The Measure of a Man" Facebook page.

Thierry does strike back, however – striking a blow for humanity – when the indignities become too great.

Visit http://www.filmlinc.com to learn more about the 53rd New York Film Festival, including showtimes and venues.