The National Building Museum hosts the post-pandemic return to D.C. of the world’s largest film festival devoted to design and the built environment.
More than a dozen international films, most feature-length documentaries, will screen at in-person gatherings over the course of three days, from March 24 to March 26.
The films tackle a range of timely issues from sustainability to historic preservation to adaptive reuse, as well as highlighting a few design world stars, including Hungarian-American modernist Marcel Breuer and contemporary female Danish architect Dorte Mandrup.
The opening night celebration is set for Thursday, March 24, with a screening of Mau, a documentary charting the unlikely creative journey of Canadian designer Bruce Mau.
A post-screening Q&A with Mau follows and the evening features an open-bar reception with hors d’oeuvres and dim sum, all set in the museum’s soaring Great Hall.
Other highlights include:
Nathan Havey’s documentary Beyond Zero, detailing how Ray Anderson overhauled his carpet tile company Interface with an inspiring mission focused on environmental sustainability (3/25).
From Earth to Sky
Ron Chapman’s From Earth to Sky, highlighting the work of seven Indigenous architects working all over North America, including Tammy Eagle Bull and Douglas Cardinal (3/25).
Barak Heymann’s High Maintenance – The Life and Work of Dani Karavan, with a particular focus on the conflict stirred up by the Israeli artist’s latest commission, a monument to Polish nationals who risked their lives saving Jews in World War II (3/25).
Charlotte Airas’s Light Snatcher, a lyrical film revealing the impact of natural light on design as evidenced in the work of contemporary Finnish architect Juha Leiviskä (3/26).
Lauren Levine’s Unity Temple: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Modern Masterpiece, documenting efforts to restore the century-old temple in Illinois with quotes from America’s most famous architect narrated by Brad Pitt (3/26).
The National Building Museum is at 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $12 to $15 per program and $40 to $50 for opening night. An $85 FlexPass offers multiple films and opening night. Call 202-272-2448 or visit www.adfilmfest.com.
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