Los Angeles

Architecture and Design Film Festival Returns to Los Angeles

Documentaries on Frank Gehry, Dieter Rams, Frank Lloyd Wright, and more are coming to the city next week

For design fans and movie buffs alike, the Los Angeles edition of the Architecture and Design Film Festival, taking place March 13–17 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, will exhibit a range of films examining designers, architects, and the craft. Here are four screenings that can’t be missed.

Frank Gehry: Building Justice
The festival will kick off with the American premiere of Frank Gehry: Building Justice, directed by Ultan Guilfoyle, which follows Gehry and a group of his students from the Yale School of Architecture. In the film, the architect uses America’s prisons as a broader case study for drafting better institutions.

Rams
Rams, the latest documentary from Gary Hustwit, chronicles Dieter Rams in his effort to unpack the effects of consumerism and the pressing nature of sustainability. Hustwit has a knack for unveiling the simple nuances behind current technology that are attributable to prior generations. Rams shows how the icon’s thoughtful influence continues to permeate the present and future of design.

That Far Corner: Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles
For a poignant examination of the architect's legacy in L.A., consider That Far Corner: Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles. The film, by Christopher Hawthorne, chief design officer for the city of Los Angeles, peels back the layers of Wright’s Mayan-inspired designs, framing five houses as a type of catharsis for the architect in the wake of an emotionally turbulent period.

Short Films WalkA pre-festival kickoff will take place in Culver City on March 9 in an event presented by the historic Helms Bakery District. Showrooms including Rejuvenation, Room & Board, and Scandinavian Designs will host 24 short films on architecture and design for the Short Films Walk.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now at the Los Angeles Theatre Center and at adfilmfest.com.

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