Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater

In 1985, Richard Linklater, a former oil rig worker, launched a film screening society in Austin, Texas, dedicated to showcasing classic art-house and experimental cinema. This initiative evolved into the nonprofit Austin Film Society, which successfully hosted its first out-of-town filmmaker, James Benning. Their meeting sparked a deep personal and intellectual friendship that would endure through the years. While Benning, creating low-budget films since the 1960s, maintained his artistic independence, Linklater found mainstream success after the cult hit Slacker, illustrating the contrasting paths of their cinematic journeys.