Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life (1995)
Jakob arrives at the Institute Benjamenta (run by brother and sister Johannes and Lisa Benjamenta) to learn to become a servant. With seven other men, he studies under Lisa: absurd lessons of movement, drawing circles, and servility. He asks for a better room. No other students arrive and none leave for employment. Johannes is unhappy, imperious, and detached from the school's operation. Lisa is beautiful, at first tightly controlled, then on the verge of breakdown. There's a whiff of incest. Jakob is drawn to Lisa, and perhaps she to him. As winter sets in, she becomes catatonic. Things get worse; Johannes notes that all this has happened since Jakob came. Is there any cause and effect?
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Alice Krige
as Lisa Benjamenta
as Lisa Benjamenta
Mark Rylance
as Jakob
as Jakob
Gottfried John
as Herr Benjamenta
as Herr Benjamenta
Daniel Smith
as Kraus
as Kraus
Joseph Alessi
as Pepino
as Pepino
Jonathan Stone
as Hebling
as Hebling
César Saratxu
as Inigo
as Inigo
Peter Lovstrom
as Jorgenson
as Jorgenson
Uri Roodner
as Schilinski
as Schilinski
Peter Whitfield
as
as
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Crew arrow_drop_down
Stephen Quay
Director
Director
Timothy Quay
Director
Director
Lech Jankowski
Original Music Composer
Original Music Composer
Weiser Quay
Co-Director
Co-Director
Caroline Clements
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
Suzie Zamit
Makeup Artist
Makeup Artist
Larry Sider
Editor
Editor
Irene Lamb
Casting
Casting
Jennifer Kernke
Production Design
Production Design
Alison Riva
Art Direction
Art Direction
Nicky Gillibrand
Costume Design
Costume Design
Gina Carter
Production Manager
Production Manager
Dave Crownshaw
Special Effects
Special Effects
Karl Baumgartner
Producer
Producer
Keith Griffiths
Producer
Producer
Janine Marmot
Producer
Producer
Katsue Tomiyama
Producer
Producer
Timothy Quay
Writer
Writer
Stephen Quay
Writer
Writer
Alan Passes
Writer
Writer
Nicholas D. Knowland
Director of Photography
Director of Photography
Jack Stew
Foley Artist
Foley Artist
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