13 Lakes

The film shows a single shot of each of thirteen great lakes in America. Half the frame is water and half is sky or land; the camera never moves and each shot is held for the same length. There is no event to speak of, but as time passes the light, the wind, birds and boats going by in the distance enter the frame, and each lake shows a character of its own. The account asks patience of the viewer; the longer the looking lasts, the more what is seen changes. The film takes landscape not as a subject but as a duration. James Benning’s hundred and thirty five minute American documentary was completed in 2004.