The Movies

Bob Bentley is one of the UK’s visionary film makers. He went to the Royal College of Art Film & TV School, then learned much of his craft as a technician, travelling the world and working with amazing colleagues.

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Then, after some years he won the BAFTA Best Short Film award with RECLUSE, his first film as a professional director. Subsequent work has been described as exquisite, intriguing, and beautifully crafted.

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Bob’s distinct style is evident across many genres including arts profiles JANET BAKER-FULL CIRCLE and JESSYE NORMAN: SINGER.

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For a music series Bob directed a number of short films including THE YOUNG ONES with Yehudi Menuhin and TERROR AND MAGNIFICENCE with saxophonist John Harle.

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The elegant originality of his dance-screen work is evident in TO A WOMAN’S HEART as well as BEETHOVEN IN LOVE and the award winning NEVER AGAIN.

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Among many social, nature and science subjects, there was a series on Aids & HIV, memes with Richard Dawkins, architecture with DANIEL LIBESKIND and the redevelopment of London’s DOCKLANDS.

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Bob informs with eloquence, exploring subjects as diverse as Hokusai’s Japan in THE GREAT WAVE to the killing fields of the American Civil War in THE BATTLE OF SHILOH. The American Indian Wars are also visited in THE BATTLE OF BIG HOLE. Both battles were re-enacted.

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Art and drama tantalise with TIFFANY TOMB RAIDERS and RUBENS UNWRAPPED as well as in the very British AVAILABLE LIGHT. Other drama includes a Shakespearean analysis of MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

               

Eroticism is explored in a programme about Rodin’s sculpture THE KISS and in the feature documentary THE PLEASURE OF ROPE, about the Japanese bondage art of Kinbaku.

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Most recently BALI VISIONS shows his interest and love for the visual and performance art of that wonderful island.

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Some of the early films are relevant, like 15TH CENTURY POEM and HAVING A LOVELY TIME, a coming of age story. His Royal College of Art degree film MAZE was released in 2023 by the BFI in Edition Three of the SHORT SHARP SHOCKS series.