About

Known credits:
153
Birthday:
1942-12-28
Place of birth:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Website:
N/A

James Benning

Overview

Over the past thirty-five years James Benning (b. 1942) has played a central role in the history of American independent cinema by offering his rigorously structured yet wonderfully graceful films as extended meditations on the American landscape and its social and environmental histories. Benning’s life and work have been shaped by his passionate wanderlust—born in Milwaukee, he lived for intervals in Colorado, the Missouri Ozarks, Illinois and Oklahoma before settling in Val Verde, California in 1987, with car and motorcycle journeys around the country generating such films as I-94 (1975) and Four Corners (1997). His career has been equally restless, ranging from his early experimentation with an avant-garde aesthetic to his embrace, during the 1980s and 90s, of explicitly autobiographical elements and increased human content. With his “California Trilogy” (2000-2001) Benning entered a new phase, refining his formalist style and political concerns while distilling his abiding interest in place and exacting organizational structures.

Known for

Acting
2021 Benning's Dream Actor Self (voice) N/A
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2020 On Paradise Road Actor N/A
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2020 She Dies Tomorrow Actor Leatherman 57
Average
2019 中孚 61. The Inner Truth Actor N/A
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2018 Telemundo Actor Himself 59
Average
2018 L. Cohen Actor Himself 59
Average
2016 thinking of red Actor N/A
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2013 Coming to Terms Actor The Father 59
Average
2013 Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater Actor Self 58
Average
2011 The Great Gatsby in Five Minutes Actor Owl Eyes N/A
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2003 James Benning: Circling the Image Actor Himself N/A
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1997 Four Corners Actor Narrator 58
Average
1989 Used Innocence Actor (voice) 59
Average
1975 The United States of America Actor 59
Average
Maintenance Actor Himself 59
Average

Directing
2024 Breathless Directing Director N/A
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2022 Allensworth Directing Director 59
Average
2022 TEN YEARS LATER Directing Director N/A
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2022 Exquisite Moving Corpse Directing Director N/A
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2022 The United States of America Directing Director 58
Average
2021 From Bakersfield to Mojave Directing Director N/A
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2020 Dancing in the Street, 11 grados de separación Directing Director N/A
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2020 On Paradise Road Directing Director N/A
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2020 PLACE Directing Director N/A
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2020 Maggie's Farm Directing Director N/A
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2019 daylight Directing Director N/A
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2019 Two Moons Directing Director 59
Average
2018 Telemundo Directing Director 59
Average
2018 after Traylor. Thoreau cabin (2008-2018) Directing Director N/A
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2018 glory Directing Director 59
Average
2018 Birth of a Nation Directing Director N/A
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2018 L. Cohen Directing Director 59
Average
2018 SAM Directing Director N/A
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2017 Readers Directing Director 59
Average
2017 Untitled Fragments Directing Director N/A
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2016 shadow dancers Directing Director N/A
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2016 Ash 01 Directing Director N/A
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2016 scorched earth Directing Director N/A
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2016 thinking of red Directing Director N/A
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2016 wavelength Directing Director N/A
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2016 Fall Equinox Directing Director N/A
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2016 Spring Equinox Directing Director N/A
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2016 Measuring Change Directing Director 59
Average
2016 Fresh Air Directing Director N/A
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2015 Perimeter Directing Director N/A
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2015 52 Films Directing Director N/A
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2014 Concord Woods Directing Director N/A
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2014 Natural History Directing Director 58
Average
2014 HF Directing Director 59
Average
2014 US 41 Directing Director N/A
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2014 signs Directing Director N/A
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2014 FUCK ME (green) Directing Director N/A
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2014 FUCK ME (orange) Directing Director N/A
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2013 BNSF Directing Director 59
Average
2012 The War Directing Director 59
Average
2012 One Way Boogie Woogie Directing Director 59
Average
2012 Easy Rider Directing Director 59
Average
2012 Stemple Pass Directing Director 59
Average
2012 Postscript Directing Director 59
Average
2012 Nightfall Directing Director 59
Average
2012 20 Little Films Directing Director N/A
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2011 After Warhol Directing Director 59
Average
2011 Faces Directing Director N/A
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2011 Small Roads Directing Director 59
Average
2011 Two Cabins Directing Director 59
Average
2011 YouTube Trilogy Directing Director 59
Average
2011 Twenty Cigarettes Directing Director 58
Average
2010 Tulare Road Directing Director N/A
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2010 Pig Iron Directing Director 59
Average
2010 Reforming the Past Directing Director N/A
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2010 Faces 1973 Directing Director 59
Average
2010 John Krieg Exiting the Falk Corporation in 1971 Directing Director N/A
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2010 Among Enemies: Jeonju Digital Project 2010 Directing Director N/A
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2009 Ruhr Directing Director 59
Average
2009 Fire & Rain Directing Director N/A
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2009 Fire & Rain Directing Director N/A
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2007 RR Directing Director 59
Average
2007 Casting a Glance Directing Director 59
Average
2005 One Way Boogie Woogie/27 Years Later Directing Director 59
Average
2005 74.78 Directing Director N/A
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2004 10 Skies Directing Director 59
Average
2004 13 Lakes Directing Director 59
Average
2002 Sogobi Directing Director 59
Average
2001 Los Directing Director 58
Average
1999 El Valley Centro Directing Director 59
Average
1998 Utopia Directing Director N/A
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1997 Four Corners Directing Director 58
Average
1996 Deseret Directing Director 58
Average
1995 Panama: Exploring the Panama Canal Directing Director N/A
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1992 North on Evers Directing Director 59
Average
1989 Used Innocence Directing Director 59
Average
1987 Landscape Suicide Directing Director 59
Average
1985 O Panama Directing Director 58
Average
1984 American Dreams (Lost and Found) Directing Director 59
Average
1984 Pascal's Lemma Directing Director N/A
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1982 Him and Me Directing Director N/A
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1978 Grand Opera: An Historical Romance Directing Director 59
Average
1977 11 x 14 Directing Director 59
Average
1977 One Way Boogie Woogie Directing Director 59
Average
1976 Chicago Loop Directing Director N/A
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1975 9-1-75 Directing Director N/A
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1975 The United States of America Directing Director 59
Average
1974 Michigan Avenue Directing Director 59
Average
1974 8½ x 11 Directing Director N/A
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1974 I-94 Directing Director 59
Average
1972 Time and a Half Directing Director N/A
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Did You Ever Hear That Cricket Sound? Directing Director N/A
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3 Minutes on the Dangers of Film Recording Directing Director N/A
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Cuba, an Historical Romance Directing Director N/A
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Writing
2020 Maggie's Farm Writing Writer N/A
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2012 Easy Rider Writing Writer 59
Average
2012 All That She Surveys Writing Writer N/A
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2011 Twenty Cigarettes Writing Writer 58
Average
2010 Pig Iron Writing Writer 59
Average
2009 Ruhr Writing Writer 59
Average
2007 Casting a Glance Writing Writer 59
Average
1989 Used Innocence Writing Writer 59
Average
1987 Landscape Suicide Writing Writer 59
Average
1978 Grand Opera: An Historical Romance Writing Writer 59
Average
1977 11 x 14 Writing Writer 59
Average
1977 One Way Boogie Woogie Writing Writer 59
Average

Production
2022 Allensworth Production Producer 59
Average
2018 Telemundo Production Producer 59
Average
2012 Easy Rider Production Producer 59
Average
2012 Stemple Pass Production Producer 59
Average
2010 Pig Iron Production Producer 59
Average
2007 Casting a Glance Production Producer 59
Average
2004 10 Skies Production Producer 59
Average
1987 Landscape Suicide Production Producer 59
Average
1977 11 x 14 Production Producer 59
Average

Sound
2009 Ruhr Sound Sound Editor 59
Average
1985 O Panama Sound Sound 58
Average

Camera
2012 Easy Rider Camera Director of Photography 59
Average
2012 Stemple Pass Camera Director of Photography 59
Average
2009 Ruhr Camera Director of Photography 59
Average
1987 Landscape Suicide Camera Director of Photography 59
Average
1985 O Panama Camera Director of Photography 58
Average

Crew
2020 Maggie's Farm Crew Cinematography N/A
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2019 The Wrecker Kings Crew Thanks N/A
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2015 Santa Teresa & Other Stories Crew Thanks 58
Average
2010 Pig Iron Crew Cinematography 59
Average
2007 Casting a Glance Crew Cinematography 59
Average
2007 Water Spell Crew Thanks N/A
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Editing
2020 Maggie's Farm Editing Editor N/A
N/A
2016 shadow dancers Editing Editor N/A
N/A
2012 Easy Rider Editing Editor 59
Average
2012 Stemple Pass Editing Editor 59
Average
2009 Ruhr Editing Editor 59
Average
2008 Lunch Break Editing Editor 59
Average
2007 Casting a Glance Editing Editor 59
Average
1987 Landscape Suicide Editing Editor 59
Average
1985 O Panama Editing Editor 58
Average
1977 11 x 14 Editing Editor 59
Average