California Documentary Project
Metropolis in the Making
International Documentary Association
Producer and Director: Clement Barclay
Urban redevelopment in Los Angeles: Who decides what goes and what stays?
This documentary film examines the complex issue of redevelopment in Los Angeles by documenting the 20-year battle over one project, the historic Ambassador Hotel — for decades a mecca for Hollywood legends, heads of state and other famous personalities — and the site of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1968.
The film features rare photographs, archival footage and interviews with individuals involved in the often-acrimonious development, design and construction process. Among those featured are Linda Dishman, president of the Los Angeles Conservancy; David Goodale, principal architect and designer of the Ambassador School Project; Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy and family representative on the project; William Deverell, professor of history at USC; and Frank Gehry, world-class architect and visionary.
“Decisions about what goes up, what stays up and what comes down need to be part of our civic conversation,” said the film’s producer and director, Clement Barclay. “We hope that the film will get people talking about the urban redevelopment process. Whoever decides, we will be living with the results for decades to come, so it is incumbent on all of us to pay attention.”