Tonight, the Northwest Film Forum in collaboration with Arcade Journal is screening a documentary, High-Rise, about the rich residents of penthouse apartments in major Brazilian cities. These people float above the rabble, the babble, the crimes, and the clogged traffic of the streets. They live in their own worlds. Some of the apartments have gardens, others have the feel and look of a panic room—no windows, solid walls, thick doors. The film captures the way inequality is expressed in urban space. This is indeed the cinema of Marxist urban geographer David Harvey:

[It is] crucial to reflect on the nature of space if we were to understand urban processes under
capitalism.

highrise_cover_large.jpg

I will only be present for the opening of this film.


One other thing, tomorrow is the last event for Northwest Film Forum's excellent Red Renewal series. The May Day program includes Seattle Labor Chorus and a lineup of Filipino activists and organizers. It will be something like a party after the many May Day marches. Happy hour at 6 pm, program at 7 pm.