Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life

Name: Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Released: 1995-08-01
Duration: 1 h 45 min
Cast: Alice Krige, Mark Rylance, Gottfried John, Daniel Smith, Joseph Alessi

1995, English. Directed by Stephen Quay & Timothy Quay.

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?

Drama Mystery

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Runtime: 1h 45m
Post-credits: None listed
Language: English
Rated: Check local

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7.6/10 from 50 TMDB viewer ratings.

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

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, and Fandor in India.

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Cast & crew

Details

Released: 1 August 1995
Country: Germany, Japan, United Kingdom
Written by: Timothy Quay, Stephen Quay, Alan Passes

servantsurrealismschool lifeinstitutioncorrectional institutionservant heiress relationship

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What Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life is based on

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life is based on Jakob von Gunten (1909) by Robert Walser.

1909
Jakob von Gunten
By Robert Walser
Read on Wikipedia Wikidata

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Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life: quick answers

Is Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life worth watching?

Our verdict is Worth the Hype: Clear your evening for this. It scores 7.6/10 from 50 TMDB viewer ratings.

How long is Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life?

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life runs 105 minutes (1h 45m).

Does Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life have a post-credits scene?

None is listed for Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life parents guide: is it suitable for kids?

No age rating is listed for Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life yet.

Which OTT platform is Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life on?

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, and Fandor in India. (Checked 14 November 2026.)

What movies are like Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life?

If you liked Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life, try The Trial, Mr. K, Remember.

Who directed Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life?

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life (1995) was directed by Stephen Quay and Timothy Quay and stars Alice Krige, Mark Rylance, Gottfried John.

What is Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life based on?

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life is based on Jakob von Gunten (1909) by Robert Walser.