Architecture and Design Film Festival Comes to D.C's National Building Museum

Over 25 films from nine countries will be presented by the nation's largest film festival devoted to architecture and design, ADFF, this February in D.C. Presented by the Revada Foundation and hosted by the National Building Museum, it will be the first time the festival has traveled to the D.C.-area.

"We have a cornucopia of timely topics and classic figures in the films this year,” says ADFF Founder and Director Kyle Bergman. The festival will feature films that explore the life and work of architects—BIG TIME follows Bjarke Ingels relocation to New York City for VIA 57 and Glenn Murcutt: Spirit of Place explores the life and art of Australia’s most famous living architect while, REM, the documentary by Rem Koolhaas's son, offers an intimate portrayal of the architect’s life, working methods, philosophy, and internal landscape. Other feature films include Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, which chronicles the journalist, author and activist Jane Jacobs' 1960s showdown with the ruthless redeveloper Robert Moses over his plan to raze lower Manhattan.

This year's selection will also center around timely topics such as design for positive social change and generative healthcare design with films like Building Hope: The Maggie's Centres which tells the story of the unique cancer charity. Or If You Build It, which follows designer-activists Emily Pilloton and Matthew Miller to North Carolina, where they work with local high school students to transform both the community and their lives.

“We are thrilled to be hosting the Festival at the National Building Museum,” said Kyle Bergman, ADFF founder and director. “I believe film is one of the best ways to inspire curiosity in the world we design and build, and look forward to sharing a diverse array of perspectives and projects at the inaugural edition of ADFF: D.C.”

The festival will run from February 22nd through February 25th. Full schedules and ticketing information is forthcoming; for more details, visit here. And in the meantime, listen to Archinect's conversation with Kyle Bergman, founder of the Architecture & Design Film Festival, conversation starting at around 40:30.