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Deep Dive: Unfinished Spaces (2011)

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Unfinished Spaces
Unfinished Spaces is a documentary about the National Art Schools in Cuba, designed by architects Ricardo Porro, Roberto Gottardi, and Vittorio Garatti. The film covers the schools' founding by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, their innovative architectural designs, and the eventual abandonment of the complex. It captures the intense atmosphere of revolutionary Cuba and the architects' vision for a new architectural language. The film also documents the current state of the schools, with some areas in ruins while others are used by young artists and dancers. It discusses the efforts to restore these buildings, which are on the World Monuments Fund watch list. The filmmakers, Alysa Nahmias and Benjamin Murray, became captivated by the story of the schools' rise and fall, leading to their production of this film, which has received various awards and recognition.

Why Watch

  • •Meet architects Ricardo Porro and Vittorio Garatti.
  • •See the abandoned National Art Schools in Cuba.
  • •Find out about restoration efforts for historic buildings.

Did You Know

•The film premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2011.
•Unfinished Spaces won the 2014 Society of Architectural Historians Film and Video Award.
•The documentary is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
•It was broadcast on PBS in the United States and HBO Latin America.

Perfect For

Cuban architectureArt history enthusiastsDocumentary lovers