Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater

A warm, unhurried conversation between two filmmakers whose friendship unfolds through quiet anecdotes and shared cinephilia.

Directed by

Gabe Klinger

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Richard Linklater, James Benning, Sandra Adair

Overview

In 1985, former oil rig worker Richard Linklater began a film screening society in Austin, Texas, that aimed to show classic art-house and experimental films to a budding community of cinephiles. Eventually incorporating as a nonprofit, the newly branded Austin Film Society raised enough money to fly in their first out-of-town filmmaker: James Benning. Accepting the invitation, Benning met Linklater and the two began to develop a personal and intellectual bond, leading to many future encounters. Starting in the 1960s, Benning had been creating low budget films mostly on his own, while Linklater had just begun to craft his first shorts. The filmmakers have remained close even as their careers have diverged. After the cult success of Slacker, Linklater went on to make films with Hollywood support. Benning, meanwhile, has stayed close to his roots and is mainly an unknown figure in mainstream film culture.

How it feels

Warm, earnest and melancholic. Slow-burning and needs your attention.

About

Friendship, art, identity, work

Content

Mild language. No violence, gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)