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Filmmaker's final film: A cinematic séance?
22 Jun
Summary
- Documentary honors filmmaker Benita Raphan, who died by suicide in 2021.
- Director Alan Berliner completed Raphan's unfinished work as a tribute.
- Film explores Raphan's life, creativity, and mental health struggles.
Filmmaker Alan Berliner has completed a unique documentary, "Benita," honoring his late friend Benita Raphan, who died by suicide in 2021. Berliner meticulously assembled Raphan's unfinished film, transforming it into a posthumous tribute that explores her artistic spirit and personal life. Raphan, known for her experimental short documentaries and work in New York City's art and film academia, also taught at the School of Visual Arts.
The film touches upon Raphan's early career, including her involvement in the downtown post-punk scene and her work as a graphic designer in Paris. Despite facing employment precarity, she found success creating intimate films about complex figures like John Nash and Emily Dickinson.
Berliner and friends suggest that the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with lifelong battles with depression and anxiety, may have led to Raphan's tragic end. The documentary, left intentionally with unanswered questions, presents a portrait of a complex artist whose work and life remain an enduring enigma.
The documentary "Benita" is scheduled to be shown at Bertha DocHouse in London beginning June 24.
