Director Richard Linklater considers him one of the greatest visual artists of our time. Since the early 1970s, the influential James Benning has been creating unique, independent, minimalist films, and even in his eighties he remains remarkably prolific. He describes his latest work as "a film looking at the past to warn about the future, from a little boy’s point of view." little boy offers an intimate reflection on American politics and a personal cross-section of its history. That history repeats itself in the film’s recurring pattern: a meditative sequence of painted scale models paired with recordings of political speeches and music from the era. It’s up to the viewer to piece together how it all connects. Whether through the fiery words of Stokely Carmichael and César Chávez, or iconic songs by Sinéad O’Connor and Cat Power, Benning invites you to slow down and truly listen.
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Credits
James Benning
James Benning, Johnan Jahromi, Alessandro Streccioni, Yusef Ferguson, Yuan Gao, Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias, Calum Walter, Nathan Meier
Dylan Lustrin
More info
English
United States of America
2025