An annual celebration of Arizona architecture through cinema, conversation, and community returns to town this spring.

The Arizona Architectural Film Showcase is presented in architecturally significant venues, and the 2026 edition features three documentaries by independent filmmakers curated by Steve Weiss, executive director of No Festival Required Independent Cinema.

Founded in 2002, No Festival Required Independent Cinema has had a presence in Arizona’s cultural landscape for more than two decades and has presented hundreds of films and special events that champion independent voices and innovative storytelling.

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Film Schedule

“Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans and Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture” will be shown April 16 at Phoenix Center for the Arts.

(Photo provided by Arizona Architectural Film Showcase)

7 p.m. Thursday, April 16

Third Street Theater, Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 N. 3rd St.

“Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans and Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture”

Directed by Conni Castille and Charles Richard. A Zoom Q&A with the filmmakers after the movie.

Produced by the Louisiana Architecture Foundation, this film explores the legacy of Black craftsmen and builders whose artistry shaped Louisiana’s architectural identity.

“Remembering the Future with Herb Greene” will be showcased April 18 at The Pavilion at Taliesin West.

(Photo provided by Arizona Architectural Film Showcase)

7 p.m. Saturday, April 18

The Pavilion at Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale

“Remembering the Future with Herb Greene” (work-in-progress screening)

A film by Lila Cohen and John Rogers. Limited seating to provide for an intimate experience. In-person Q&A with the filmmakers.

Architect and filmmaker Cohen journeys into the imaginative world of her 94-year-old great-uncle Herb Greene, an architect whose visionary work grew from the avant-garde teachings of Bruce Goff in 1950s Oklahoma. The film uncovers an intimate story of the lifelong search to express human feeling and invites this generation to rediscover meaning.

“Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace,” a journey through the evolution of American movie theaters, will be showcased at Orpheum Theatre on April 21.

(Photo provided by Arizona Architectural Film Showcase)

7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21

Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix

“Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace”

Directed by April Wright, a captivating journey through the evolution of American movie theaters — from penny arcades to grand palaces — celebrating their cultural and architectural impact.