Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream That One Calls Human Life
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?
Sebastian Niemann
Director
Sabin Tambrea
as
David Cohen
Vladimir Burlakov
as
Jakob
Funda Vanroy
as
Mary Jane Kelly
Iben Hjejle
as
Christine
David Dencik
as
Jakob
Anders W. Berthelsen
as
Thomas
Michael Jeter
as
Avron
Robin Williams
as
Jakob
Liev Schreiber
as
Mischa
Justus von Dohnányi
as
Preuss
Stephen Quay
Director
Mark Rylance
as
Jakob
Alice Krige
as
Lisa Benjamenta
50%