The Architecture & Design Film Festival the largest U.S. film festival devoted to the subject, is returning for its fifth year at Tribeca Cinemas in New York City for five days from Oct. 16-20. This year's schedule is packed with premieres, panel discussions, Q+A sessions, book signings, and more.

Festival directors Kyle Bergman and Laura Cardello curated 25 films from 10 countries into 15 different programs that will be accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, designers, architects, and industry leaders. Ranging from 2 to 95 minutes, the films delve into the work of creative architecture and design visionaries, and collectively focus on universal topics in urbanism like scale, population, urban planning, and architecture.





Several films will also make their debut. Opening day includes a peek into Danish film "The Human Scale" by Andreas Dalsgaard that looks into the works of city planner Jan Gehl, who studied human behavior in cities over the past 40 years. The world premiere of YAK FILMS's short, "Skyscape", will show dance performances in construction sites in NYC.

U.S. premieres include "Tadao Ando – From Emptiness to Infinity," directed by Mathias Frick, that digs into the design process of master-of-minimalism Tadao Ando. While Swiss film "Sagrada – The Mystery of Creation" by Stefan Haupt focuses on the process of creation with architect Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família cathedral as the backdrop.



Filmmaker Lisa Scafuro's "The Vision of Paolo Soleri: Prophet in the Desert"  and "The Oyler House: Richard Neutra's Desert Retreat" directed by Mike Dorsey are two of the six New York premieres. Each film tells the unique stories behind each architect and the legacy he left behind.

Then on Oct. 19 and 20, ADFF will present four panel discussions with design leaders, critics, and filmmakers, including a specially curated selection by Wanted Design. The official lineup of speakers and topics will be revealed on Sept. 23.

Click here for tickets, the full list of films, and other details.

ADFF is also promoted through Archtober, New York City's month-long festival in October that celebrates the importance of architecture and design in everyday life. You can check out Archinect's Week 1 and Week 2 suggestions.

All images provided by Novita Communications for ADFF.