Documentary 'Ask the Sand' Explores Paolo Soleri's Arcosanti Utopia

The documentary 'Ask the Sand' by Vittorio Bongiorno premieres on Sky Arte on April 27. It follows a father and son traveling to Arcosanti, the utopian city in the Arizona desert designed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri (1913-2013). Soleri, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, began the project in 1970. The film features a soundtrack by Calexico, Naim Amor & John Convertino, and Joachim Cooder. Bongiorno, a Palermo-born writer, musician, and director, uses the journey as a birthday gift for his son, questioning Arcosanti's legacy: why only 5% was built, why visitors come but few stay, and whether it is a failure or a dream. The documentary aims to shed light on Soleri's underrecognized contribution to 20th-century architecture.