A year in a town called Allensworth. A singular figure of experimental world film, structuralist James Benning once again sets out to explore American history and the topography of the local landscape. Allensworth was the first settlement in California to be governed from 1908 by African-American citizens; after the First World War its numbers dwindled, while today it is again home to several hundred people. One month in this place is represented by a single shot lasting approximately five minutes: mesmeric in its simplicity, nevertheless, loaded with details and meanings. In this film, too, Benning confirms his unique status in the cinematic art of spellbinding objectivity. Is Allensworth a ghost town, a historical memento, or both?