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Global Film Festival Connects with New Audiences On Screen and at New Venues

Following a successful 16th season that reached new global audiences, the Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF)’s 2025/26 pre-season features theatrical releases of E.1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea and Ada – My Mother the Architect at cinemas across the U.S. Additionally, ADFF is partnering with BigTown Gallery in Rochester, Vermont, on a three-part summer series that combines film screenings with live talks and community dinners.

ADFF’s spring and summer activations continue the festival’s mission to present thoughtfully curated films recognized for their cinematic quality and capacity to inspire dialogue across experiences and disciplines. The presentations explore sustainability, artistic innovation and legacy, community impact, and the power of the built environment.

“Outside of ADFF, it is rare for films centered on architecture and design to reach theaters,” said Kyle Bergman, Architecture & Design Film Festival Founder and Director.

“That is why it is so rewarding to support the theatrical release of two very special films, E.1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea and Ada – My Mother the Architect. For our pre-season, we have also partnered with BigTown Gallery to create a series that brings people together through film, conversation, and community.”

Detailed information about films and tickets is available at adfilmfest.com.

Theatrical Releases

E.1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea will screen at theaters in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles. The film, directed by Beatrice Minger, offers a portrait of the pioneering modernist architect and designer. Select screenings will include Q&As with Minger and invited guests.
• New York, NY (IFC Center): May 16–22
o Q&As on May 16 and 17 at 7:30 PM with Minger and ADFF Founder and Director Kyle Bergman
• Princeton, NJ (The Roxy Theater): May 19 at 7:30 PM
o Special event and conversation with Minger and political theorist Jan-Werner Müller
• Los Angeles, CA (Laemmle Theatres):
o Laemmle Glendale: May 20, 7:30 PM | Q&A with Minger and Jale Yoldas
o Royal Laemmle: May 22–29, 4:30 PM | Q&A with Minger and Frances Anderton on May 22 at 7:30 PM

Ada – My Mother the Architect, directed by Yael Melamede, is a personal documentary about her mother, Israeli architect Ada Karmi-Melamede. The film will screen in:
• New York, NY (Angelika Film Center): Through May 15
• Los Angeles, CA (Laemmle Theatres): May 15–18
• San Francisco, CA (Roxie Theater): May 18

BIGTOWN GALLERY: SUMMER SERIES

In collaboration with BigTown Gallery, ADFF will host three Saturday events in Rochester, Vermont. Each program will include a screening, a related talk, and a shared community meal.
• Community Building: June 28, 3:00–9:00 PM
o Film: Strange & Familiar: Architecture on Fogo Island
o Talk: April Surgent on her residency at the Pearl & Hermes Atoll
o Dinner: On-site community meal
• Rebuilding: August 2, 3:00–9:00 PM
o Film: Frank Gehry: Building Justice
o Talk: Theresa Betancourt on post-conflict resilience
o Dinner: Pizza by Vermont-based Chef PJ Lauriello
• Sustainability: August 30, 3:00–9:00 PM
o Film: Beyond Zero
o Talk: Environmentalist Bill McKibben on climate action
o Dinner: Curated by food historian Paula Marcoux