Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life

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?

Watch free on

• Tubi

  US · free with ads
  Watch →
• Amazon Freevee

  US · free with ads
  Watch →

Cast

• 
  Alice Krige

  Lisa Benjamenta
• 
  Mark Rylance

  Jakob
• 
  Gottfried John

  Herr Benjamenta
• Daniel Smith

  Kraus
• Joseph Alessi

  Pepino
• Jonathan Stone

  Hebling

Crew

• Director · Stephen Quay
• Director · Timothy Quay
• Producer · Karl Baumgartner
• Producer · Janine Marmot
• Producer · Katsue Tomiyama
• Producer · Keith Griffiths