Benny's Video (1992) 1994

In Benny’s Video, we follow the unsettling life of 14-year-old student Benny, portrayed by Arno Frisch. Benny spends his time at school alongside his classmates, frequently visiting the local video arcade and immersing himself in footage he captures with his video camera, replaying these moments on the TV in his room. His mother, Angela Winkler, is mostly absent, only appearing to stock the fridge with convenience foods, while his father, Ulrich Mühe, offers sparse yet cool paternal advice. Left largely to his own devices, Benny fills his solitude with the disturbing documentary he created showing the gruesome slaughter of a pig, starting with a disturbing shot of it being killed with a captive bolt.

One day, Benny encounters a girl, Ingrid Stassner, outside a video rental store. Intrigued, he invites her over for a casual afternoon filled with pizza and milk, along with a few movie screenings. However, the atmosphere turns dark when Benny reveals the captive bolt he stole to make his disturbing documentary. They engage in a reckless dare, and in a shocking twist, Benny captures the moment on video when he shoots the young girl dead, subsequently hiding her lifeless body in his closet.

As he prepares for a school disco and plans a friend’s sleepover, Benny undergoes a dramatic change, getting his hair cut short at a barber’s. Following a stern lecture from his father regarding his new look, he shockingly decides to show his parents the damning footage of his horrific act. Faced with their son’s grave actions, Benny’s parents quickly hatch a plan to whisk him away on a vacation while figuring out how to deal with the aftermath of the crime, including the grim task of disposing of the evidence. Thus, the timeline of events spirals towards an unsettling conclusion, showcasing the chilling descent into violence and the eerie disconnect within Benny’s family.