FilmBuff will release Gabe Klinger's documentary, "Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater," the company announced on Thursday.
The film, which follows the filmmakers as they talk about sports, art and friendship over the course of a leisurely weekend in Austin, Tex., makes its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 3.
Linklater — the director of "Dazed and Confused," "School of Rock" and most recently, "Before Midnight" — met Benning, an independent filmmaker who has avoided Hollywood at all costs, in 1988 through mutual involvement in the Austin Film Society.
Although their careers took dramatically different paths, they have maintained a strong personal and intellectual bond over the years. Klinger's film explores the commonality between the two, as well as how their career choices have influenced the course of their lives.
FilmBuff's announcement did not make it clear whether or not "Double Play" will receive a theatrical release.
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"Benning and Linklater have been heroes of mine for as long as I’ve been into film," Klinger said in a statement. "Making a documentary that attempts to present their work and ideas in an entertaining and original way was one of the most daunting tasks I’ve ever been faced with. If my film works, it’s owed entirely to their generosity in sharing these stories and brilliant insights with me."