The name Arthur Erickson evokes landmark modernist buildings, he was known as the concrete poet. He was a local (and global) legend of the architecture world famed for his characteristic concrete designs but behind the shadows of his buildings he lived a very different life. Being an openly gay architect was not an option for Arthur but beyond the boardroom he threw playboy parties on Fire Island, rubbed shoulders with Andy Warhol at Studio 54 and spent his summers amongst Shirley Maclaine, The Prince and Princess of Wales, Pierre Trudeau and Elizabeth Taylor to name a few . This lavish lifestyle was the lifeblood of his company but it would inevitably bankrupt him. Exclusive access to the family and never-seen-before archives, this film follows the rise and fall of Arthur, the architect, the socialite, the family man and goes beyond the grand structures, uncovering the man behind the story and the relationships that shaped his fascinating life. The film will also document and capture the most iconic of Arthur’s structures that stand as legacies and enhance their surroundings. The film will engage with those who live, work and move around the spaces and designs and how Arthur’s vision and influence still resonates.

Tickets available for VIFF screenings here