Francesco Garutti / Canadian Centre for Architecture

The Canadian Centre for Architecture presents Into the Island (2024, 41 min), the first documentary of Groundwork, a CCA ongoing film series on contemporary ecological practices. Into the Island follows architect Xu Tiantian during preliminary site visits on Meizhou Island. Famous as the site which gave birth to the cult of the sea goddess Mazu, the island is an environment where religious pilgrimages and mass tourism, traditional farming techniques, and strict conservation policies co-exist in a fragile balance. This screening opens a discussion on the CCA’s approach to cinema as a curatorial tool within their research and exhibition projects.