MacGillivray Freeman Films The future of infrastructure is undeniably exciting.
But apparently, some parts of that future engender more excitement among the public than others.
Case in point: a Cities of the Future community workshop earlier this year at the Museum of Science and Discovery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Specifically: the moment in the room when the group of city officials and community members were asked, “OK, show of hands, how many of you would get into a flying car tomorrow?”
Some nervous laughter, a lot of darting eyes around the room, and … no hands. No one raised their hand.
“Yeah, I mean, not to say that everyone wasn’t on board with it,” laughed Lance Cutrer, the museum’s director of sustainability and workforce development. “People like the idea. I think they’re just wondering, ‘How do we get there?’ and thinking, ‘I probably wouldn’t trust that technology literally tomorrow.’”
It was a funny moment, but also a valuable insight into the ever-developing perceptions people have about technology. And it’s another example of how Cities of the Future, the latest giant-screen movie produced by ASCE and MacGillivray Freeman Films, is connecting civil engineering to communities and sparking important conversations.
“The community workshop in Fort Lauderdale received glowing reviews from the participants,” said Cities of the Future Director Greg MacGillivray. “You can’t get better than that.”
Nearly 18 months in, Cities of the Future has been a rousing success, following its heralded older cousin of sorts, Dream Big: Engineering Our World, also directed by MacGillivray and released in 2017.
Get involved
- Find out where Cities of the Future is playing near you.
- Learn more and download the free Cities of the Future education activity guide.
- Want to set up a Cities of the Future public forum of your own? Here's how.
- Screen the film at your university for just $5 as part of the Cities of the Future campus screening program.
- Consider donating to the ASCE Foundation's Send a Kid to the Future program.
Since its debut Feb. 16, 2024, Cities of the Future has been booked in nearly 50 markets across eight countries, has been translated into eight languages, and has reached nearly half a million viewers.
This fall, the full-length film continues to air in museums and theaters across the world, while a 24-minute edit is being booked in other venues.
Widespread streaming options are likely to follow next year after the complete theatrical runs wrap, but if you’re flying Delta right now and you’re looking to decompress with some inspiring civil engineering stories and breathtaking cinematic visuals, queue up Cities of the Future on your in-flight entertainment; it’s available for free.
“We’re in the second year of the release and continue to be amazed at the number of special events and screenings around Cities of the Future,” MacGillivray said. “The film has a huge number of special screenings in U.S. cities, including Hawaii, Colorado, and Texas, and internationally in locations like Colombia, Ireland, and Mumbai.
“It’s truly fantastic to see the global reach of the film and how it inspires young people to consider their role in designing the future of our cities.”
The ASCE Foundation’s Send a Kid to the Future campaign has raised money to send hundreds of children from underserved communities to film screenings.
This school year also marks a new Cities of the Future educational activity guide available to educators for free on the film’s website. The guide was developed in partnership with the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science and includes lessons and activities that extend the movie’s themes and ideas into the classroom and students’ imaginations.
And the community workshop – done as a prototype version in Florida this year – could be a way forward in further bringing communities together with the innovative civil engineers who will be shaping the cities of the future. Yes, even with flying cars.
“Cities of the Future is a fantastic documentary, and the public forum was a great event,” Cutrer said.
“Our guests asked really good questions. There’s this great vision that the documentary puts forward. But what does that mean for us right here in South Florida? So, it was really fun to get those conversations started.”
