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modernism

25 movies and shows

A Movie with a Charming Girl

A Movie with a Charming Girl

Sat, 01 Jan 1966

Ruxandra, a young woman just out of school, decides to become an actress, convinced that personal charm can keep instead of talent.

Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'

Franz Kafka's 'The Trial'

Sat, 01 Oct 1988

BBC documentary about Franz Kafka played by GREEK TV in 1990. This documentary is one of the ten films of “The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988)”.

The Unanswered Ives - Wunderkind. Wall-Street-Gigant. Klangpionier

The Unanswered Ives - Wunderkind. Wall-Street-Gigant. Klangpionier

Sun, 22 Sep 2019

The Unanswered Ives is the first film about Charles Ives (1874-1954), an American modernist composer, one of the first American composers of international renown. The 60-minute documentary sheds light on Ives' life and work in all its facets and inconsistencies. American singer and composer Frank Zappa included Charles Ives in a list of influences that he presented in the liner notes of his debut album Freak Out! (1966). Ives continues to influence contemporary composers, arrangers and musicians. Planet Arts Records released Mists: Charles Ives for Jazz Orchestra. Ives befriended and encouraged a young Elliott Carter. In addition, Phil Lesh, bassist of the Grateful Dead, has described Ives as one of his two musical heroes.

Desert Utopia: Mid-Century Architecture in Palm Springs

Desert Utopia: Mid-Century Architecture in Palm Springs

Fri, 01 Jan 2010

Southern California’s Coachella Valley, including the communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, boasts hundreds of extraordinary midcentury modern homes, public buildings and commercial structures. Modern designers such as William F. Cody, Albert Frey, William Krisel, John Lautner, Richard Neutra, R.M. Schindler, Donald Wexler, E. Stewart Williams left their collective mark on this desert paradise. Desert Utopia: Mid-Century Architecture in Palm Springs traces the history of modern architecture in Palm Springs from the first bold forays into modernist design to the preservation challenges facing the region today. Director Jake Gorst’s film features rare archival images and footage as well as interviews with historians, homeowners and the architects who helped create this mecca of modernism.

Neutra: Survival Through Design

Neutra: Survival Through Design

Fri, 01 Feb 2019

This insightful documentary feature from PJ Letofsky serves as a profile of iconic Austrian-American Architect Richard Neutra, whose work and legacy have helped shape the modern understanding of design, architecture and the interconnected fabric of nature. Today, Richard's legacy lives on through his son, Dion, who has taken up his father's mantle after nearly three-decades under his mentorship.

Fernand Pouillon, Une architecture habitée

Fernand Pouillon, Une architecture habitée

Sun, 01 Jan 2017

In this documentary, Marie-Claire Rubinstein reveals to us, through the testimonies of the inhabitants who live there, the architectural achievements of the French urban planner Fernand Pouillon in Algiers. In particular the vast complexes of hundreds of social housing units, including the most famous Diar E Saâd (1953), Diar El Mahçoul (1954) and Climat de France (1957). The historical context, during the war of independence is related by the historian Benjamin Stora and Nadir Boumaza. This documentary also evokes the personality of Fernand Pouillon in a post-colonial context.

A Delicate Balance

A Delicate Balance

Mon, 12 Nov 1973

In their finely appointed Connecticut home, Agnes and Tobias have grown used to the imperfection and fragility of their marriage. Quietly nursing their grief over the death of their son, they get by well enough together. Agnes' boozy sister wanders in and out, and they allow anxiety-stricken friends to move into an upstairs room. But, when their daughter, Julia, shows up announcing her fourth divorce, long-repressed emotions come to the surface.

Alternate Spaces

Alternate Spaces

Thu, 15 Dec 2022

A short documentary on the River Ouse, following it downstream from Lewes to Newhaven, meditating on the surrounding area.

Helvetica

Helvetica

Wed, 12 Sep 2007

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

Het Ding (untitled, 1957)

Het Ding (untitled, 1957)

Sun, 30 Sep 2018

Next to the Bijenkorf on the Coolsingel stands one of Rotterdam’s most famous sculptures, an untitled structure created by Russian modernist artist Naum Gabo, that has been simply called Het Ding (The Thing). This documentary about the restoration of Naum Gabo’s nameless sculpture from 1957 combines awe-inspiring shots of this artwork with audio fragments from Gabo’s fiery Russian manifests.

The More We Are Together

The More We Are Together

Sun, 04 May 1969

A portrait of Eric Lyons and Span, under the scrutiny of Ian Nairn, as well as the residents of their estates.

Our Modern Maidens

Our Modern Maidens

Sun, 08 Sep 1929

Young, vivacious Billie uses her charms on influential businessman Glenn Abbott in hopes of getting her secret fiancé Gil a diplomatic appointment. Meanwhile, Gil's affections meander to beautiful ingenue Kentucky, Billie's best friend.

James Joyce's 'Ulysses'

James Joyce's 'Ulysses'

Sun, 10 Jan 1988

From the series "The Modern World: Ten Great Writers", this playful documentary introduces James Joyce's most famous work "Ulysses". It includes fantastic adaptations to film from passages of the novel. It also includes excerpts from a book written by Joyce's friend, the artist Frank Budgen, entitled "James Joyce and the making of Ulysses". Amongst those interviewed is author Anthony Burgess.

The Watergaw

The Watergaw

Wed, 24 Jan 2024

Iain Syme returns to his family’s farmland in the Scottish Borders and attempts to sell it off to a mysterious local landowner. However, his brother Cammy, a hermit who still lives on the land, has different ideas...

LOVELY VILLA

LOVELY VILLA

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Lovely Villa explores the relationship between architecture, everyday life, family, desire and the idea of ‘home’. Director Rohan Shivkumar grew up in the titular apartment block, located in Borivali —an affluent coastal suburb of Mumbai. The building was designed by Charles Correa to house different communities within one edifice, as an articulation of the ideal environment for the Indian middle classes. Rohan, whose parents lived in the colony for over 40 years, explores its architecture with the aid of found materials, including old photographs and drawings, as well as personal narratives both factual and semi-fictional.

Bar do Mojica

Bar do Mojica

Sat, 01 Oct 2022

Mojica owns a movie-themed bar where he speaks about his passion for brazilian films.

The Blue Years

The Blue Years

Sat, 17 Nov 2018

Rubén tries to describe the color blue as "The color of dreams, of art, of the ocean and of the firmament", thereby unleashing half a century of poetry.

Arne Jacobsen’s Modern Denmark

Arne Jacobsen’s Modern Denmark

Sun, 21 Nov 2021

Danish documentary about the disobedient schoolboy with a talent for painting, who became one of Denmark’s greatest architects. His ideas were ahead of their time and often received criticism, but today, 50 years after his death, Arne Jacobsen's schools, town halls and libraries are still with us, and they define modern Denmark.

Otto G. Carlsund - en svensk modernist

Otto G. Carlsund - en svensk modernist

Fri, 07 Dec 2007

Documentary about the Swedish modernist painter Otto G. Carlsund.

Merce Cunningham: A Lifetime of Dance

Merce Cunningham: A Lifetime of Dance

Sun, 16 Dec 2001

A history of the work of Merce Cunningham.