Photo by ADFFRepublished from Examiner.com
Film is as much a part of New York’s history and culture as the Yankees and Coney Island. Every year, travelers from all over the world come to see groundbreaking new films at the city’s many film festivals. For those interested in architecture and design—and films about architecture and design—then you’re not going to want to miss this week’s Architecture and Design Film Festival at Tribeca Cinemas.
Running from October 19th to the 23rd, the AD Film Festival will showcase 31 films, ranging in length from 3 minutes to 93 minutes. The films, shown in the Cinema’s two theaters, are organized into 15 programs with names like “Unfinished Spaces,” “Pool Party,” “Biophilic Design: The Architecture of Life,” and “Antwerp Central.” Tickets are sold by program, with each program containing 1-4 films.
Produced by architect Kyle Bergman, this one-of-a-kind festival has a lot to offer. In addition to the films, the Cinema’s Varick Room (which also contains a full bar) will host engaging panel discussions involving leading filmmakers, architects, designers, and critics. Among those slated to speak are award-winning journalist Ben Loeterman, architect Robert A.M. Stern, and filmmaker Eames Demetrios.
Last year’s festival was a major success, selling out on opening night and attracting figures like The New Yorker’s Architecture Critic, Paul Goldberger, and legendary architect, Robert Venturi. This year promises to be even better with a spectacular lineup of handpicked films and fascinating panelists.
Some may be skeptical that architecture, as a theme, translates well into film. It not only translates well, but, as art forms, architecture and film are inherently linked. “Maybe the most interesting similarity is that they are both really storytelling,” says Mr. Bergman. “When you make a film, you’re obviously telling a story, even if it’s a non-narrative film. And when you’re doing a building you’re always telling a story, whether you mean to or not.”
The films at last year’s festival were extremely interesting and well produced. Even those who are scantly interested in architecture and design will still find the stories in many of the films engaging. These films are more than just about structures and the materials they are made out of; they are about the lives of people—their struggles, their dreams, their successes, and even their failures.
Whether you are an architect, a designer, a filmmaker, an enthusiast, or simply a traveler coming to town, you are going to want to check out the Architecture and Design Film Festival.
Note: Stay tuned for full coverage of the AD Film Festival. I will be doing live blogging from the event and uploading stories to Examiner.com as well as:
Architecture and Design Film Festival - www.adfilmfest.com
Running October 19th to October 23rd at Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street, New York.
Tickets can be purchased online at http://adfilmfest.com/tickets.html