Director Lauren Levine tells AD the actor’s voice was 窶彗 poignant way to weave in Frank Lloyd Wright窶冱 presence窶
There is truly something for everyone in the new documentary Unity Temple. The film tells the story of the craftspeople and historians behind the extensive $25 million restoration (unveiled in 2017) of the Frank Lloyd Wright窶電esigned Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, with narration by none other than Hollywood heartthrob and architecture buff Brad Pitt.
It窶冱 no secret that Pitt has long been enthralled by the built world. In 2006, he and his now ex-wife Angelina Jolie arranged for a private tour of Wright窶冱 famous Fallingwater house in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. In 2008, Pitt窶冱 Make It Right Foundation built dozens of eco-friendly homes in New Orleans窶冱 Lower Ninth Ward in concert with starchitects like Sir David Adjaye窶杯hough years later the project faced a class action lawsuit.
Directed by Lauren Levine, the 55-minute film unspooling the concrete temple窶冱 two-year restoration is currently available for preview screening through November 23, with an official, wider release date still to be determined. For Levine, who grew up in Buffalo and was already familiar with Wright窶冱 projects in that city, it was an opportunity to dive deeper into her appreciation for his architecture and build on her friendship with Heather Hutchison, Unity Temple Restoration Foundation窶冱 former executive director.
窶弋o restore such a complex building to its original beauty felt like a debt of gratitude to Wright窶冱 intentions,窶 says Levine. 窶廬 put a crew together just before the construction team erected fencing and scaffolding. My mantra was to 窶鰐eep shooting窶 because on this type of project you can never have enough footage in the editing room.窶 Because of her quick efforts, the film includes footage of the building窶冱 prior condition. Since its 1908 completion, Unity Temple has served as a place of worship for the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation, who commissioned the project from church member Wright窶派is first public project窶琶n 1905. Along with seven other Wright buildings, the temple is one of only 24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United States, an honor received in 2019.
Pitt was invited to narrate the documentary as a result of Hutchison窶冱 relationship with the copresident of Plan B, the Oscar winner窶冱 production company. In the voiceover session, says Levine, Pitt revealed he窶囘 been a fan of Wright since college. 窶廩aving recently returned from Japan, where he窶囘 seen amazing temples, he expressed his deep appreciation for the beauty shots of Unity Temple he saw while he was doing the narration,窶 says Levine. Wright, of course, was deeply influenced by his travels in Japan and was commissioned to design Tokyo窶冱 Imperial Hotel in 1915. It was demolished in 1968, and the lobby and reflecting pool moved to Museum Meiji-Mura.
窶弩hen we got the yes from Brad, I felt confident that his voice would be a poignant way to weave in Frank Lloyd Wright窶冱 presence,窶 says Levine. 窶廬 loved his performance in James Gray窶冱 Ad Astra. The quality of his voice was so perfect for Wright窶冱 quotes describing his inspiration and process during this pivotal time in his career.窶
Levine says making the film helped her better understand Wright, whom she calls 窶彡omplex.窶 She was especially struck by 窶徂is relentless pursuit of the exact right material or the exact right design element,窶 she says. 窶廡or example, the color and texture of the concrete, his decision to create a translucent quality in the paint colors, or his many iterations of the columns. Wright窶冱 status as an iconic transformational figure in America leaves lots of room for more stories. I窶冦 exploring two other films that would focus on pivotal stages in his career in a similar way.窶 No word yet on whether Pitt or another A-list architecture buff will lend their voice.
