ALLENSWORTH

Forum 2023

Without the title, it would be hard to place the first shots, aside from their position in the year. We start in January and end in December, with around five minutes dedicated to each month. A lonely tree before a winter sky, modern wooden houses and a plain brick hotel from the early 20th century, passing trains heard before seen: this could be any small American town, which it is and it isn’t; there’s enough time and space for contemplation of both. Founded in 1908, Allensworth was the first municipality in California to be governed by African-Americans. As we pass through the year and around the settlement, elements of this specific heritage also begin to accumulate: “Blackbird” by Nina Simone, “In the Pines” sung by Huddie Ledbetter, Lucille Clifton poems read out by a little girl direct to camera. But these are just echoes in a place that is now a museum, a space for reflection that the film maps out, fragments and amplifies as only cinema can, a place to think about what was, like the graveyard shown in the final shot. But remembering the past is also remembering that not all pasts are equal, and that’s where duration comes into play. Time still needs to be taken.

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by James Benning USA 2022 English 65’ Colour International premiere | Documentary Form

Crew

Director	James Benning
Producer	James Benning

Photos

James Benning

Born in 1942 in Milwaukee, USA. He completed a degree in film studies and has been making films and created numerous installations since 1972. James Benning has been a frequent guest at the Forum and Forum Expanded since 1977, such as with 11 x 14 (1977).

Filmography (selection)

1972 Time & A Half; 17 min. 1975 The United States of America; 25 min. 1977 11 x 14; 83 min., Forum 1977, Forum 2018 · 11 x 14; 83 min., Berlinale Forum 1977 & 2018 · One Way Boogie Woogie; 60 min. 1979 Grand Opera. An Historical Romance; 90 min., Forum 1980 · Grand Opera. An Historical Romance; 90 min., Berlinale Forum 1980 1985 O Panama; 28 min., Forum 1987 · O Panama; 28 min., Berlinale Forum 1987 1986 Landscape Suicide; 95 min., Berlinale Forum 1987 · Landscape Suicide; 95 min., Forum 1987 1997 Four Corners; 80 min., Forum 1998 · Four Corners; 80 min., Berlinale Forum 1998 1999 El Valley Centro; 90 min., Berlinale Forum 2002 · El Valley Centro; 90 min., Forum 2002 2000 Los; 90 min., Forum 2002 · Los; 90 min., Berlinale Forum 2002 2002 Sogobi; 90 min., Forum 2002 · Sogobi; 90 min., Berlinale Forum 2002 2004 13 Lakes; 133 min., Forum 2005 · 13 Lakes; 133 min., Berlinale Forum 2005 · Ten Skies; 101 min., Forum 2005 · Ten Skies; 101 min., Berlinale Forum 2005 2005 One Way Boogie Woogie/27 Years Later; 120 min., Berlinale Forum 2006 · One Way Boogie Woogie/27 Years Later; 120 min., Forum 2006 2007 RR; 110 min., Berlinale Forum 2008 · RR; 110 min., Forum 2008 2009 Ruhr; 121 min. 2010 John Krieg Exiting the Falk Corporation in 1971; 71 min. 2011 Faces; 135 min. · Milwaukee/Duisburg; Installation, Forum Expanded 2011 · Milwaukee/Duisburg; Installation, Berlinale Forum Expanded 2011 · Twenty Cigarettes; 99 min., Berlinale Forum 2011 · Twenty Cigarettes; 99 min., Forum 2011 · Small Roads; 103 min. 2012 Nightfall; 98 min. · Stemple Pass; 121 min., Berlinale Forum 2013 · Stemple Pass; 121 min., Forum 2013 · Easy Rider; 95 min. · One Way Boogie Woogie 2012; 90 min. · BNSF; 194 min. 2014 Natural History; 77 min. · Farocki; 77 min. · Concord Woods; 121 min. 2015 American Dreams; 85 min. 2017 Untitled Fragments; 75 min. · Untitled Fragments; 75 min., video installation, Berlinale Forum Expanded 2017 2018 L. Cohen; 45 min., video installation, Berlinale Forum Expanded 2018 · L. Cohen; 45 min., video installation, Forum Expanded 2018 2019 Maggie’s Farm; 84 min., Berlinale Forum · Maggie’s Farm; 84 min., Forum 2020 2022 United States of America; 98 min., Berlinale Forum · United States of America · Allensworth; 65 min.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023