Over a weekend in Austin, Texas, filmmakers Richard Linklater (Boyhood) and James Benning (Ruhr) get together to discuss their distinct approaches to cinema and their long-time friendship, and to play some baseball. The conversation is interspersed with clips from their seminal works, as the film gains never-beforeseen insights into the inner workings of American cinema’s most significant outsiders.
The directorial debut of respected film critic Gabe Klinger, Double Play turns viewers into flies on the wall, observing two masters comparing war stories. It is not just their similarities but also their differences that illuminate: Benning sees his role as solitary, Linklater sees it as the coach of a team. Part of the decades-long Cinéma de notre temps series, Double Play is as much a masterclass in film editing as it is an intelligent meditation on ageing; it’s a must for dedicated cinema fans.
Melbourne International Film Festival
Please note that the festival is for over 18s only
