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In NORTH ON EVERS James Benning takes the road movie seriously, making his circular trip across the U.S. a marvelously photographed, intensely felt, and disturbing portrait of contemporary America. In many ways, this recent film is a departure of Benning’s earlier films which are characterized, at times, by extremely long, carefully planned takes and a minimal narrative approach. In NORTH ON EVERS, the shots are kept short with a narrative that is direct and detailed, like a diary or a long series of postcards to a friend. What this work shares with the other films is a dry wit and a deep interest in the American social landscape.
It can be a struggle to answer the inevitable question: ‘Where are you from?’ when you’re not quite sure. A young woman of mixed heritage searches for an answer by looking back over three generations of her family. Documents, family stories and of course the British staple of tea and biscuits help her figure out a way to reply. A personal look at questions of identity, at a time where migration, political isolation and reclaiming history are hot topics. Is it important to look to your own past in order to better respond to wider issues present today?
Liberty decides to spend the first day of summer questioning her life and those within it. Instead of reflecting on their differences, she thinks about their similarities and the impact they’ve had on her. She realises that they have one thing in common - they’re all women. She begins to create an ode to not only the dominant female presence in her life, but to all women and the beauty in their stories, through her poem ‘The Skin I Move In’.
