RUHR

"The artist is someone who pays attention and reports back." - James Benning

Experimental filmmaker James Benning moves from 16mm to high-definition video in his first film shot outside of the USA - an unhurried, meticulously composed meditation on the industrial landscapes of the Ruhr Valley.

In what was once the epicentre of Germany's heavy industry, Benning creates an immersive world of images and soundscape using seven long, unedited takes. Focusing on details as small as the passing of a car or the colours of a windowsill, Ruhr captures both the sensuality and flux of everyday life.

"More than a series of specific images, Ruhr is best considered a film about image-making itself." - Cinema Scope

D/S James Benning P Zorana Musikic L no dialogue TD HD Cam/2009