Twenty Cigarettes

Story

Synopsis

Celebrated for his minimal, monumental landscape studies, James Benning turns to the intimacy of the portrait in his latest film, TWENTY CIGARETTES. Referencing Warhol’s screen tests, 1930s Hollywood glamour, and the disappearing cigarette break, the film captures 20 of Benning’s friends (including filmmaker Sharon Lockhart, cultural theorist Dick Hebdige, and book editor Janet Jenkins) satiating their smoke cravings. Each shot’s length is determined by the time it takes each subject to smoke a cigarette, and over the course of the film a dynamic range of personalities emerges out of an array of physical characteristics, distinctive settings, and personal relationships to the camera. (Amy Beste and Jessica Bardsley)

Director

James Benning

Writers

James Benning

Language

English

Country

United States of America

Release date

17 February 2011

Ensemble

Cast

• 

  Sompot Chidgasornpongse

  Self

• 

  Francesca Sloane

  Self

• 

  Thom Andersen

  Self

• Stefan Pascher

  Self

• Blake Derrington

  Self

• Norma Turner

  Self

• Fabian Euresti

  Self

• 

  Sharon Lockhart

  Self

• Dick Hebdige

  Self

• Hye Sung Moon

  Self

• Dave Crane

  Self

• Janet Jenkins

  Self