Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman 

Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Visual Acoustics explores the monumental career of 98-year-old architectural photographer, Julius Shulman. Populating his photos with human models and striking landscapes, Shulman combined the organic with the synthetic, melding nature with revolutionary urban design. The resulting images helped to shape the careers of some of the greatest architects of the 20th Century, with Shulman documenting the work of Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, Pierre Koenig, John Lautner, and many others.

Taking its aesthetic cues from Shulman’s own sensual and nuanced photography, the film’s narrative is built from a blend of Shulman’s own images as well as in depth interviews with architect Frank Gehry, designer Tom Ford, artist Ed Ruscha, actress Kelly Lynch and writer Mitch Glazer, publisher Benedikt Taschen, Academy Award - nominated cinematographer Dante Spinotti, and a host of others.

In addition, by offering unprecedented and exclusive access to his amazing photographic archive and his day-to-day life, Shulman’s dedicated involvement in the process afforded an incalculable benefit to the film. Through the exploration of both Shulman’s art and uniquely individualistic life, Visual Acoustics offers an unforgettable portrait of Modernism’s most eloquent ambassador. 

 The Greening of Southie 

What happens when you’re asked to build the city of tomorrow… today?  Set on the storied streets of South Boston, The Greening of Southie is a feature documentary about Boston’s first residential green building, and the men and women who set out to construct it.  From wheatboard cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring to dual-flush toilets, The Macallen Building is something different––a leader in the emerging field of environmentally friendly design.  But green building has its challenges, and the jobsite has its skeptics.  And when things start to go wrong, a young developer has to keep the project from unraveling.  

Funny and poignant, The Greening of Southie is a story of bold ideas, new environmentalists, and the future of urban America.  Soon to be broadcast on Sundance Channel’s “The Green” and available now on DVD, The Greening of Southie is the centerpiece of Earth Week in the Union Halls, a campaign that will bring the film––and the national discussion about green jobs––to workers around the country.  Anchor support for this effort is provided by the Fledgling Fund.

Created by King Corn’s Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, The Greening of Southie features innovative time-lapse animation, cinematography by Taylor Gentry, and music by Force Theory.