FilmJanuary 10, 2026Janne Elens

My Ancestral Doll

A private webcam video - never intended to be shared - turned into an emotionally raw video installation. This short film is intentionally unedited, to show the full preparation ritual: the slow and perhaps even banal act of combing the doll’s hair. In this piece, filmmaker Janne Elens works within the lineage of Chantal Akerman, highlighting women’s/AFAB bodies’ under appreciated, yet vital, labour.

About the movie

A private webcam video - never intended to be shared - turned into an emotionally raw video installation. This short film is intentionally unedited, to show the full preparation ritual: the slow and perhaps even banal act of combing the doll’s hair. In this piece, filmmaker Janne Elens works within the lineage of Chantal Akerman, highlighting women’s/AFAB bodies’ under appreciated, yet vital, labour.

ReleasedJanuary 10, 2026
DirectorJanne Elens
Runtime20 min
CastJanne Elens
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