James Benning: Circling the Image

About This Movie

James Benning: Circling the Image offers a deep dive into the mind of a filmmaker who stubbornly straddles the line between structuralism and poetic cinema. It’s meditative, really. You get his fascination with geometry and how it influences his approach to film, especially in projects like 13 Lakes. The pace, often languid, invites you to linger on the visual elements, drawing you into a contemplative space. There’s a specific rhythm to his work; it’s like each frame is a calculated decision, which makes you consider not just what you’re seeing, but how you’re seeing it. Not flashy, no big performances, but that’s the beauty of it – it’s about the ideas, not the spectacle.

Focus on structural film techniquesStudy of mathematical influence in cinemaPacing encourages reflection