The Architecture and Design Film Festival: DC will return to the National Building Museum this January, showcasing a diverse program of 16 films that investigate design’s impact, environmentally and culturally, on the worlds of fashion, real estate, art, architecture, urban planning, and housing.
The opening night kicks off with “Alice Street,” a moving documentary about the power of public art and a mural that brought together artists, community leaders, and two neighborhoods in the fight to protect history, culture, and voice in the face of gentrification. The film will be followed by a Q&A with director Spencer Wilkinson and community organizer Lailan Sandra Huen. The evening will also feature an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and an opportunity to mingle following the screening of the film.
Friday and Saturday evening’s festivities begin with a happy hour featuring vendors Little Miner Taco, Don Ciccio & Figli, Other Half Brewing, and Silver Branch Brewing.
Friday evening includes a photography showcase featuring local artists James Singewald and Steven Cummings and multiple films exploring international design, the origins of redlining, and modern consequences of discriminatory urban design.
Saturday’s films highlight the exciting world of sustainable fashion. In addition to screenings, visitors can learn more about sustainable clothing at a panel discussion with industry leaders and pick up a one-of-a-kind piece from local vendors Tribute Collective, Bitter Grace, or Illicit Rag Vintage at a pop-up market in the Great Hall.
The festival concludes on Sunday, January 29, with a celebration of D.C. culture and history featuring a Go-Go brunch with popular D.C. band TOB, a pop-up exhibition of photographer Dee Dwyer’s work documenting the people and culture of Southeast D.C., and a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary “Barry Farm: Community, Land and Justice in Washington D.C.” The film tells the story of the fight to protect the legacy of a cherished community that helped define D.C. culture and will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Samuel George and Sabiyha Prince.