Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life

Aug 1, 1995

1h 44m

★ 7.7

Overview

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?

Genres

Drama

Production Companies

Koninck Studios

Image Forum

Pandora Film

Hot Property Films

Film4 Productions

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life Trailers

Cast

Lisa Benjamenta

Alice Krige

Jakob

Mark Rylance

Herr Benjamenta

Gottfried John

Kraus

Daniel Smith

Pepino

Joseph Alessi

Hebling

Jonathan Stone

Inigo

César Saratxu

Jorgenson

Peter Lovstrom

Schilinski

Uri Roodner

Peter Whitfield

Gwen's family is rich, but her parents ignore her and most of the servants push her around, so she is lonely and unhappy. Her father is concerned only with making money, and her mother cares only about her social position. But one day a servant's irresponsibility creates a crisis that causes everyone to rethink what is important to them.

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No Image Available

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