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Film Fest Gent | James Benning

8.Oct.25
19.Oct.25
The United States of America 2022 still

At the 52nd edition of Film Fest Gent, the festival bands together with S.M.A.K. once again. Together they spotlight the versatile work of influential American artist James Benning (°1942, Milwaukee, WI). Alongside the inclusion of "little boy" in Film Fest Gent’s Official Selection, three of his key films will be shown free of charge at S.M.A.K. from 8 to 19 October.

Since the early 1970s, James Benning has been creating unique, independent, and minimalist films that have established him as one of the most influential filmmakers of his time. Benning’s films are often built around long takes, fixed camera positions, and meticulously composed sound scapes. Within the structure of his compositions, viewers become acutely aware of time, space, and the ways in which the political lives in and through the everyday. His work, situated at the intersection of film and visual art, has been presented in both cinemas and museums worldwide.

American dreams 1984 still

Film Fest Gent and S.M.A.K. have selected three films from Benning’s extensive body of work, each of which takes the American landscape as its starting point for visual experiences, temporalities, and political reflection. In American Dreams (lost and found) (1984, 55’), Benning juxtaposes memorabilia of baseball legend Hank Aaron, weaving together the imagery of the American Dream with personal stories. The other two films, both titled The United States of America (1975, 27’ and 2022, 98’), each present characteristic American landscapes in their own way: the first filmed entirely through a car windshield, the second composed of more static observations representing the fifty states. Together, they offer a compelling impression of how the United States has become what it is today.

Practical

  • From 8 to 19 October
    • during S.M.A.K. opening hours
  • Programme:
    • American Dreams (lost and found) (1984, 55’): Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 October 2025
    • The United States of America (1975, 27’): Sunday 12 to Thursday 16 October 2025
    • The United States of America (2022, 98’): Friday 17 to Sunday 19 October 2025
  • Free admission
  • Location: S.M.A.K. cinema
  • More information about Film Fest Gent here
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