Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life (1995)

Overview · Where to watch · Cast & crew · Reviews

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?

• Released: 1995-08-01
• Genres: Drama, Mystery
• Runtime: 1h 45m
• Status: Released
• TMDB rating: 7.6/10 from 50 votes

Directed by Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay.

Top cast

• Alice Krige as Lisa Benjamenta
• Mark Rylance as Jakob
• Gottfried John as Herr Benjamenta
• Daniel Smith as Kraus
• Joseph Alessi as Pepino
• Jonathan Stone as Hebling
• César Saratxu as Inigo
• Peter Lovstrom as Jorgenson
• Uri Roodner as Schilinski
• Peter Whitfield

Full cast & crew

Where to watch Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life

• United States: stream on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel; watch free on Plex, Plex Channel, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Cineverse, Tubi TV, Amazon MX Player
• United Kingdom: rent on Apple TV Store, Amazon Video; buy on Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
• Canada: watch free on Tubi TV, Plex, Cineverse

Movies like Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life

If you enjoyed Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life, these movies have a similar feel:

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