Movie Night - New England Modernism

Chris Musangi introduces New England Modernism. Photo by Lana Kustrak.

The grey and dark London winter days call for a visit to the cinema, and those who joined us for our first screening of 2025 definitely had some warmth added to the cold February days. We kicked off this year with a sold-out screening of ‘New England Modernism,’ a compelling documentary that traces the evolution of Modernist architecture in the American Northeast.

The film masterfully chronicles how the United States experienced a dramatic transformation in architectural design between the 1930s and 1970s. Through carefully curated archival footage and stunning contemporary photography, we witness how European Modernism took root in New England soil, beginning with pioneering works like William Lescaze's Field House in New Hartford, Connecticut, and Albert Frey's Ralph- Barbarin House in Stamford.

The documentary's narrative heart centers on the remarkable concentration of talent that emerged in New Canaan, Connecticut during the 1940s. Here, the legendary "Harvard Five" - Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, John Johansen, Philip Johnson, and Eliot Noyes - established what would become a crucible of Modernist innovation. Their presence attracted other visionary architects including Victor Christ-Janer, Andrew Geller, and Edward Durell Stone, whose collective work would reshape the architectural landscape of New England and beyond.

What makes this film particularly poignant is its exploration of preservation versus progress. While celebrating these revolutionary designs that still inspire architects worldwide, it also confronts the ongoing challenges these architectural treasures face from redevelopment pressures. The documentary serves as both a celebration of this remarkable period and a call to protect its legacy.

The film was well received and the debate that followed was engaging. Some sentiments were that it would be important for the public to see this documentary, a coffee table book of all the featured buildings and their architects would be nice, and it was interesting to see modernist buildings from the context of high-end residences, as opposed to social housing as is common in the UK.

One of the questions asked during the discussion was about the length, which was longer than our usual screenings, and if this documentary was a series. As a follow up, Director Jake Gorst responded: 

“Regarding the length, this film was originally going to be a miniseries, but due to a 2-year COVID production shutdown and discussions with the executive producer it was decided that we would make it one solid feature-length documentary. It is lengthy, but we have been marketing it as a “deep dive” into the history of modernism in New England. Believe it or not, we’ve had people complaining about things we left out! 

I had actually trimmed about a half hour out of the original cut to get the film to the length it is now. And I’m taking those deleted sequences and incorporating them into a short film called ‘Curating Modernism’ about various forms of preservation, which we will release later this year.“

Special thanks to Jake Gorst of Mainspring Narrative Films for making this film available to the AIA UK before its London Premiere in June this year. (Watch out for news about Curating Modernism on Mainspring Narrative’s website HERE.) Many thanks for your continued support of our movie night series, and we look forward to having you join us for our next screening: ‘Green Over Grey,’ on Tuesday 18 March.

Written by Chris Musangi, AIA

Photo by Lana Kustrak.

Movie Night - The Pavilion on the Water

The Pavilion on the Water producer Giorgio Guernier speaks to attendees.

We returned to the BFI for our Autumn movie screening in early November. Unfortunately due to programming conflicts and cinema availability, in the Autumn of 2024 we were only able to screen one movie. We started the Autumn screenings and ended the 2024 screenings on a high note, with a screening of The Pavilion on the Water.

The film, directed by Stefano Croci and Silvia Siberini, offers an intimate exploration of renowned Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa's profound connection to Japanese culture. Through careful cinematography and thoughtful pacing, the documentary weaves together Scarpa's architectural vision with his deep appreciation for Japanese aesthetics. It's particularly poignant that Japan, which served as such a wellspring of inspiration throughout his career, would also be where his life's journey ended in 1978.

What makes this documentary especially compelling is its ability to capture the essence of artistic genesis. The filmmakers approach their subject with a gentle melancholy, acknowledging not just the loss of Scarpa himself, but also the rarity of witnessing true artistic brilliance emerge. Yet there's also celebration here – a recognition that through his masterful works, Scarpa's vision continues to captivate and inspire new generations of architects and designers.

The debate at the end of the movie was lively, and was made especially so as we were honoured to have the film producer Giorgio Guernier attend the screening, where he took over leading the discussion and answering questions after the movie.

Many thanks to all who attended our screenings in 2024, and we look forward to welcoming you back and having many more of you join our screenings in the upcoming year.

Written by Chris Musangi, AIA

Chris Musangi introduces The Pavilion on the Water.

Movie Night - The Destruction of Memory

History keeps repeating itself. We first screened this documentary in 2017, at the height of the War in Syria. It was a sold-out screenings, and likewise seven years later, in an equally sold-out cinema, we still found ourselves plagued with evermore destruction of the built environment and cultural heritage all across the World. This documentary is a powerful reminder that there is so much more that still needs to be done to protect our cultural heritage for future generations. 

Over the past century, cultural destruction has wrought catastrophic results across the globe. This war against culture is not over - it's been steadily increasing. The push to protect, salvage and rebuild has moved in step with the destruction. Legislation and policy have played a role, but heroic individuals have fought back, risking and losing their lives to protect not just other human beings, but our cultural identity - to save the record of who we are. Based on the book of the same name by Robert Bevan, The Destruction of Memory tells the whole story - looking not just at the ongoing actions in Syria and other contemporary situations, but revealing the decisions of the past that allowed the issue to remain hidden in the shadows for so many years. Interviewees in the film include the Director-General of UNESCO, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, as well as diverse and distinguished international experts, whose voices combine to address this urgent issue.

Many in the audience found this documentary both emotional and frustrating. We were fortunate to have two gentlemen —Patrick Hughes and Matt Amis, from Six Heritage in the audience. 

They kicked off the post movie debate by telling us about their organisation, as well as giving us first hand experience of their upcoming work in Ukraine. Similar to some of the Organisations featured in the documentary, they shall be heading to a war zone where they will document cultural heritage assets that are at risk of destruction. We are most grateful for the risks and sacrifices teams such as theirs take to safeguard our cultural identity. 

We shall return to the BFI Stephen street in March for our next screening, which will be in honour International Women’s Day, and we will be showcasing the work of a phenomenal woman Architect. 

Stay tuned and we look forward to seeing you at screenings again in the fall.

Written by Chris Musangi, AIA