CinemaOSMovie · 1995 · 1h 45m

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life

76%(50)IMDbDramaMystery

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?

Directed byStephen Quay, Timothy Quay

Play
Status
Released
Runtime
1h 45m
Language
EN
Released
August 1, 1995
Studios
Pandora FilmFilm4 ProductionsKoninck Studios

Watch the

Trailers & teasers

1 video
Institute Benjamenta (1995) Original Trailer [HD]

Institute Benjamenta (1995) Original Trailer [HD]

Featuring

Cast & crew

10 credited
Starring
Alice Krige

Alice Krige

Lisa Benjamenta

Mark Rylance

Mark Rylance

Jakob

Gottfried John

Gottfried John

Herr Benjamenta

Daniel Smith

Kraus

Joseph Alessi

Pepino

Jonathan Stone

Hebling

César Saratxu

César Saratxu

Inigo

Peter Lovstrom

Jorgenson

Uri Roodner

Uri Roodner

Schilinski

Peter Whitfield

Creative team
Directed by
Stephen Quay
Stephen Quay
Timothy Quay
Timothy Quay
Written by
Timothy Quay
Timothy Quay
Alan Passes
Produced by
Karl Baumgartner
Keith Griffiths
Keith Griffiths

Keep watching

More like this

Next Door6.4

Next Door

2005 · Film

Silent Hill6.6

Silent Hill

2006 · Film

Trainspotting8.0

Trainspotting

1996 · Film

Angel Heart7.1

Angel Heart

1987 · Film

Lost Highway7.6

Lost Highway

1997 · Film

Pi7.1

Pi

1998 · Film

Inland Empire7.0

Inland Empire

2006 · Film

Nowhere6.7

Nowhere

1997 · Film

The Train Conductor And The Cross Dresser10.0

The Train Conductor And The Cross Dresser

2023 · Film

Holidaymaker

Holidaymaker

2025 · Film

The Music Room7.5

The Music Room

1958 · Film

The Rules of the Game7.5

The Rules of the Game

1939 · Film

Blue Velvet7.6

Blue Velvet

1986 · Film

Persona8.1

Persona

1966 · Film

Umberto D.7.9

Umberto D.

1952 · Film

Videodrome7.2

Videodrome

1983 · Film

Pan's Labyrinth7.8

Pan's Labyrinth

2006 · Film

25th Hour7.3

25th Hour

2002 · Film

The Eve of Ivan Kupalo7.0

The Eve of Ivan Kupalo

1968 · Film

Picked for you

Recommended movies

Under the Silver Lake6.3

Under the Silver Lake

2018 · Film

All Day and a Night6.2

All Day and a Night

2020 · Film

Byzantium6.3

Byzantium

2013 · Film

Killer: A Journal of Murder5.9

Killer: A Journal of Murder

1996 · Film

The Experiment6.4

The Experiment

2010 · Film

The Lords of Discipline6.6

The Lords of Discipline

1983 · Film

The Tutor6.0

The Tutor

2023 · Film

Closet Monster7.0

Closet Monster

2016 · Film

Bronson6.9

Bronson

2009 · Film

I'm Thinking of Ending Things6.5

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

2020 · Film

Greta6.5

Greta

2019 · Film

Nowhere to Run6.6

Nowhere to Run

1993 · Film

Donovan's Echo6.0

Donovan's Echo

2011 · Film

Nine Days6.8

Nine Days

2021 · Film

Lorelei6.0

Lorelei

2020 · Film

Goodbye June6.5

Goodbye June

2025 · Film

The Double6.5

The Double

2014 · Film

Donnie Darko7.8

Donnie Darko

2001 · Film

Born Innocent6.3

Born Innocent

1976 · Film

The Unforgivable7.4

The Unforgivable

2021 · Film