Contemporary Issues in Art, Architecture & Design: Five Recent Noteworthy Feature Documentaries

October 21 - Manufactured Landscapes

Jennifer Baichwal, Canada, 2006, 83 minutes.

Edward Burtynsky's monumental enivronmental photography is caught on motion picture film by cinematographer Peter Mettler and director Jennifer Baichwal. A multiple award-winning feature documentary.

October 28 - My Architect

Nathaniel Kahn, USA, 2003, 110 minutes.

The trailblazing architect Louis Kahn is seen through the eyes of his son. Powerful and poignant, this is a film that neatly balances personal history with the larger impact of a legendary modernist. 

November 4 - Helvetica

Gary Hustwit, USA, 2007, 80 minutes. Who knew a feature documentary on the life and impact of a font could be so fascinating?

November 18 - Sketches Of Frank Gehry

Sydney Pollack, USA, 2005, 83 minutes

Recently deceased Hollywood helmsman Sydney Pollack (The Way We Were, Tootsie) took five years to shoot this portrait of his friend, architect Frank Gehry; there's a particular emphasis on how the creative process unfolds between the dui, whether it be for film or architecture. 

December 10 - Drawing Out the Demons

David Vaisbord, Canada, 2004, 78 minutes

This gritty documentary begins in 2001 New York and follows celebrated Canadian artist Attila Richard Lukacs thtough his struggles with depression and drug addiction and his eventual rehabilitation and creative revitalization in Maui.