New England Modern Architecture Documentary
Tax deductible
New England Modernism: Revolutionary Architecture in the 20th Century is a feature-length documentary currently being prepared for release to art house theaters in the United States and abroad, and to Amazon Prime in 2023.
Most of the documentary has been filmed. At this moment we are editing a short preview of the film, which will be screened in Palm Springs, California at Palm Springs Modernism Week on February 17, 2023. We need your help to care for immediate production needs, including additional filming expenses and licensing costs.
More information about this project:
The story of New England Modernism is one of imagination, creativity and industriousness.
- A review of the history of Modern architecture in New England, 1930-1975
- Demonstrates the continuing influence of these Modern structures on contemporary architectural design
- Interviewees include: Darren Bradley, David N. Fixer, Paul Goldberger, Robert Gregson, George Smart, Hicks Stone, Peter Swanson, and Louisa Whitmore
- Production completion anticipated Q2 2023
- Planned art house movie theater run
- Will stream on Amazon Prime
- International screenings at festivals, museums, and libraries
The United States saw a revolution in popular architectural style between the 1930s and 1970s. American Modernism was originally influenced by the work of European masters including Le Corbusier and Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius. It began to establish footing in New England in early 1930-32. Early modern structures included the Field House in New Hartford, Connecticut, by William Lescaze, and the Ralph-Barbarin House in Stamford, designed by Le Corbusier protégé Albert Frey.
By the 1940s, the region was a hotbed of modernism. A group of architects — Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, John Johansen, Philip Johnson, and Eliot Noyes — had settled in New Canaan, Connecticut. Known as the “Harvard Five,” they attracted other modern architects who designed notable Mid-Century modern structures in New England. They included Victor Christ-Janer, Andrew Geller, Alan Goldberg, Carl Koch, John Black Lee, Hugh Smallen ,and Edward Durell Stone. The work produced by these revolutionaries has had lasting international influence.
About Mainspring Narrative Films
Mainspring Narrative Films, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit company, produces quality educational documentaries focusing on art, architecture, and cultural history. The company strives to foster a greater understanding of our modern world by exhaustively researching the past and releasing films that often include previously unknown archival imagery and documentation.
Mainspring is run by Co-Producers Jake Gorst and Tracey Rennie Gorst.
Mainspring Narrative Films has two key objectives:
1. To reintroduce important history that is forgotten in time and by the masses but is also integral in shaping the culture of our day.
2. To foster an awareness of important cultural heritage being lost due to neglect or deliberate destruction.
Example: The modern architecture produced during the mid-20th century is endangered due to re-development or decay. Mainspring Narrative Films has played a significant role in creating an awareness of this style of architecture helping to fuel the movement to restore and preserve examples of it. This has contributed to a significant increase in tourism and revenue to regions where it has been preserved.
- Leisurama (2005)
- Desert Utopia: Midcentury Architecture in Palm Springs (2005, Design Onscreen)
- Modern Tide: Midcentury Architecture on Long Island (2012, Design Onscreen)
Donations to Mainspring Narrative Films are tax deductible. Financial contributors are acknowledged in the film credits.
Website: http://www.mainspringnarrative.org
Organizer
Mainspring Narrative Films, Inc.
Beneficiary