Unfinished Spaces

Watch Unfinished Spaces

  • NR
  • 2011
  • 1 hr 26 min
  • 8.0  (97)

Unfinished Spaces is a documentary film released in 2011 directed by Alysa Nahmias and Benjamin Murray. The film takes the audience on a journey through the revolutionary period of Cuba's history, particularly during the early 1960s when the country was undergoing an ideological and cultural transformation. At the center of the film is a visionary project undertaken by three young and inexperienced Cuban architects - Vittorio Garatti, Roberto Gottardi, and Ricardo Porro - to build a National Art Schools complex.

The film is a compelling account of their creative ambition, the entanglement of art and politics in revolutionary Cuba, and the ultimate failure of the project. Through interviews, archival footage, and stunning visuals of the complex itself, the filmmakers convey the excitement, the tensions, and the contradictions of this important moment in Cuba's history.

The film's narrative is structured around the experiences of the three architects and their collaboration with Fidel Castro's government. The filmmakers juxtapose the architects' aspirations with the larger historical context - the U.S. embargo, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Soviet Union's influence on the Cuban Revolution, and the subsequent suppression of dissent. The film shows how the National Art Schools project was born out of the revolutionary ideal of integrating art, education, and revolutionary socialist politics.

The architects' designs were heavily influenced by the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, the avant-garde art movements of the time, and Cuban vernacular traditions. The film showcases the stunning beauty and daring structural innovations of the National Art Schools complex, in which an amalgam of brick, stone, and concrete structures are woven into the lush tropical landscape of Havana. The film captures the utopian vision of the complex as a space of creativity, experimentation, and political transformation.

However, the challenging economic conditions and bureaucratic hurdles of revolutionary Cuba ultimately stalled the project. The film evokes the anguish and frustration felt by the architects as their project was delayed and downscaled, and the National Art Schools complex became a symbol of unfulfilled revolutionary aspirations.

Unfinished Spaces is a tour de force of documentary filmmaking. The film captures the complex and fragmented nature of Cuba's revolutionary history, the fragile and dynamic relationship between art and politics, and the personal journeys of the architects who dared to dream big. The film's aesthetics are also remarkable, with stunning cinematography that reveals the intricate and organic details of the National Art Schools complex and the surrounding natural environment.

The film also raises important questions about the role of architecture in revolutionary transformation, the limits of revolutionary idealism, and the complexities of cultural preservation in times of political upheaval. The bittersweet finale of the film - the resurrected National Art Schools complex as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - serves as a testament to the enduring power of art, architecture, and human imagination.

In all, Unfinished Spaces is a must-see documentary for anyone interested in Cuban history, architecture, art, or political revolution. It is a compelling and inspiring work that captures the beauty and challenge of creating and preserving cultural legacies amidst the turbulence of historical change.

Unfinished Spaces is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0.

Unfinished Spaces
Description
Where to Watch Unfinished Spaces
Unfinished Spaces is available to watch, stream, download and buy on demand at Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play and YouTube VOD. Some platforms allow you to rent Unfinished Spaces for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    2011
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    1 hr 26 min
  • Language
    English,,Spanish
  • IMDB Rating
    8.0  (97)