During the month of May, Rialto Cinemas and ART DEPT will present the 12th annual Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival! After a record-breaking festival in 2022, they’re presenting another inspiring curation of architecture & design films to the big screen. The four film categories this year are—ARCHITECT HEROES, SITE SPECIFIC, FEMALE FOCUSED, and FUTURE & MEMORY, these categories represent the unique characters and buildings featured in the programme.

From 4^th May to 24th May you can look forward to 19 feature-length and short films, and a number of special events you won’t want to miss. Opening Night of the festival is perfect for those interested in Aotearoa-made architecture. Taking place on 4th May, Opening Night includes a screening of Simon Mark-Brown’s film Brown Vs. Brown, and it is the first architecture feature film made in Aotearoa to feature in the festival. Tickets to this event include a glass of Trinity Hill Wine and nibbles.

The festival is also proud to premiere Laura Poitras’ Academy Award-nominated film, Nan Goldin: All The Beauty and the Bloodshed. Premiere night takes place on 10^th May and is perfect for those looking to add something special to their festival experience. Tickets to the Premiere event include a glass of Trinity Hill wine and a goodie bag.

All films are hosted at Rialto Cinemas on Broadway, keep reading to hear a bit about some of the films, and see which one piques your interest! Tickets are on sale now here.

Bawa's Garden

Bawaʼs Garden is an experimental documentary about architecture that started with a garden. In
search of Lunuganga, a landscape designed by renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, we journey with an unnamed protagonist (based on the director’s real-life exploration) as she travels across Bawa’s homeland. Peppered with charming local encounters, the search takes us to some of Bawa’s rarely documented buildings, many of them abandoned, pushing through lush green vegetation. Dreamlike narratives accompany interviews with Bawa’s friends and colleagues, revealing a philosophy which extends far beyond the craft of architecture.

Brown vs. Brown

Brown vs. Brown is a New Zealand mid-century architectural film. Seen through the lens of filmmaker Simon Mark-Brown, son of the late architect Paul Mark-Brown, the documentary takes us on a whirlwind tour of New Zealand’s iconic mid-century era homes. An important look at the history of the country, it also explores the tensions between the regionalists and the internationalists; their differences and similarities. Brown sheds and white pavilions. Homegrown farm sheds and egalitarianism versus outward-looking spaces and new materials.

Robin Hood Gardens

Robin Hood Gardens; a concrete eyesore or masterpiece of brutalist architecture? Designed by architects Alison and Peter Smithson, and built in 1972 in East London, the council housing estate often garnered divisive responses. Fifty years on, filmmakers Thomas Beyer and Adrian Dorschner explore the story and capture the now-demolished building in all its glory before the wrecking ball hits. They revisit the Robin Hood Gardens’ critics, champions and the inhabitants themselves to determine the true legacy of this concrete utopia that was honoured at the 2018 Venice Biennale.

Light Without Sun

Light Without Sun is an experimental documentary about Can Lis, a house designed by architect Jørn Utzon on the island of Mallorca, Spain. Considered to be one the most significant projects of the 20th century, the home is situated on a steep cliff facing the sea and consists of four separate buildings linked together by walls and courtyards optimising the use of light and view. Set over the period of one day, director Clara Kraft Isono uses a combination of interviews, narrative and choreography to push the usual exploration of architectural documentation.

Concrete Landscape

Concrete Landscape presents a narrative view of the life of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, highlighting small strokes of remarkable moments that changed and influenced his work and daily life. The film explores his relationship with Brazil and the Iberê Camargo Institution, the only building that Siza designed in his birth country. Elaborating on the limits between architecture and nature, Concrete Landscape carries on to a tour of some of his finest works including Piscinas das Marés, the Architecture University of Porto and the Nadir Afonso Museum.

For the rest of the festival schedule click here, or check out the Rialto Cinema and Resene websites.