Bennifer
From the Archives
•
Comedy, Short Films, 22-Jan-2021
Jed's family isn't how he remembered it. “Bennifer” is an absurd comedy about a strange homecoming, directed by Ryan McGlade and starring Keith Poulson as a deadpan orphan. Arriving to his childhood home after a long absence (by canoe no less), Jed finds his family situation completely different than when he left. His cold, detached mother is now training to be a singer. His dad is nowhere to be found, replaced by a wiry weirdo named Bennifer who tries to fight Jed. The tale of dysfunction swirls out in all directions — a terrible saxophone player is living in Jed’s old room. We learn the disturbing backstory of the family; the more we learn, the less things make sense. With its saturated soft glow visuals (shot on Super 16mm) and bonkers performances, McGlade’s film is a distinctive piece of experimental comedy, free-form, anything goes. -KA. Director: Ryan McGlade. Cast: Keith Poulson, Kristin Griffith, Keith McDermott, Tamio Shiraishi. Director of Photography: Cody Powers. Editor: Ryan McGlade. Producer: Jordan Axelrod. Production Designer: Jayne Clark. Original Score: MV Carbon.
Up Next in From the Archives
-
Morning Without Light
A father in rural Pakistan comes to a realization during the morning routine with his family. Maazin Kamal directs “Morning Without Light,” a black and white observational narrative of a small family living in isolation from the modern world. The father starts his day early by rinsing off at a cr...
-
Salt Mom
An ode to teen friendship told through a series of loose vignettes exploring the moods and personalities of a group of friends in Brooklyn, NY. “Salt Mom,” directed by Sam Kahrar, is a hybrid documentary filled with moments of casual intimacy, specificity and humor. We watch as the kids read each...
-
NADIR: A documentary about surfing in...
What begins as a documentary about surfing evolves into a tale of a guy trying to get rid of a surfboard. Jack Galvin’s lengthily-titled “NADIR: A documentary about surfing in Newport, Rhode Island in the summer and most of the other times as well” is a comedic look at a New England town and a ma...
