Wim Wenders’ 3D documentary “From Inside Out,” premiering at the Venice Film Festival, explores the work of architect Peter Zumthor, particularly the David Geffen Galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The film, a 14-year collaboration, reveals Zumthor’s design philosophy of harmonizing buildings with their environment and users.
Wenders first encountered Zumthor’s work through a Berlin gallery competition. “It looked splendid but wasn’t built,” Wenders explains. The director initiated the project following a short film commission for the 13th Architecture Biennale, titled “Notes From a Day in the Life of an Architect,” after a positive collaboration with Zumthor. He stated his motivation was a lifelong love of architecture and a desire to understand an architect’s process, finding Zumthor an “ideal partner” because of his approach to fundamentally rethinking architecture.
The film distinguishes Zumthor’s radical approach, noting he dedicates more time to both design and construction than many colleagues. “Like other artists, he feels that a building is not done or finished with the approved plans, but that it is shaped only in its construction process,” Wenders said, drawing a parallel with his own filmmaking style. The choice of 3D filming was made because “no visual language would be more suitable for architecture than 3D.”
Featured in the documentary are filmmakers Ava DuVernay and Werner Herzog, actress Ever Anderson, singer-songwriter Sophie Hunger, visual artist Tarek Atoui, and actress and dancer Aoi Yamada, who previously appeared in Wenders’ “Perfect Days.” These individuals are not actors, but real people who interact with or live within Zumthor’s buildings, allowing the audience to experience the spaces through their perspectives. The construction of the David Geffen Galleries became a central element of the film, extending the already “long-term observation.” Brad Pitt served as executive producer, having previously advocated for Zumthor’s building before the City Council.
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