LUTAH
A Passion for Architecture: A Life in Design

Lutah - A Passion for Architecture: A Life in Design

Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2014 Premiere

Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2014 Premiere

Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2014 Premiere

Photos by: Isaac Hernandez

Napa Valley Film Festival 2014

Napa Valley Film Festival 2014

LUTAH explores the life of a little known architect who left a big legacy. She designed iconic buildings such as the Lobero Theater, Vedanta Temple, and the Botanic Garden and was integral to rebuilding a damaged Santa Barbara after the 1925 earthquake. Lutah designed exquisite homes in many styles for some of Santa Barbara's greatest philanthropists and spent hundreds of volunteer hours laying the foundation for the Santa Barbara Landmarks Commission. She did all of this as an independent woman at the turn of the 20th century.

This is the untold story of Lutah Maria Riggs.

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Film Festivals, Screenings, and Awards

2021

LUTAH at the Lobero
November 20 | Santa Barbara, CA

2018

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
June 16 | San Francisco, CA

Finisterra Arrabida Film Art & Tourism Festival
May 29-June 1 | Sesimbra, Portugal
"Places in History" Category, Third Place

2017

International Film Festival Rotterdam
January 25-February 5 | Rotterdam, Netherlands

2016

MICGénero, Warrior
October 29 | Acapulco, Mexico

Santa Cruz Film Festival
October 21 | Santa Cruz, CA

MICGénero, Morelos
October 19 | Cuernavaca, Mexico

Southern Colorado Film Festival
October 14 | Alamosa, CO

MICGénero, San Luis Potosi
October 12 | San Luis Potosi, Mexico

MICGénero, Tijuana
September 29 | Tijuana, Mexico

Artcroft Film and Video Festival
September 9 | Carlisle, KY
Best of Festival, Winner
Best Documentary, Winner

MICGénero, Maco
September 9 | Oaxaca, Mexico

MICGénero, Veracruz
September 4 | Veracruz, Mexico

Woodstock Museum Film Festival
September 3 | Woodstock, NY

Long Beach Indie International Film & Entertainment Festival
September 2 | Long Beach, CA

Hobnobben Film Festival
June 16-19 | Fort Wayne, ID

Down East Flick Fest
June 3-4 | Greenville, NC

Glass City Film Festival
May 20 | Toledo, OH

Fine Arts Film Festival
May 14 | Venice, CA

Riverside International Film Festival
May 13 | Riverside, CA

NDStrong Film Festival
May 7 | Minot, ND

Newport Beach Film Festival
April 27 | Newport Beach, CA

Julien Dubuque Intnational Film Festival
April 21-22 | Dubuque, IA

Milledgeville Film Festival
April 15 | Milledgeville, GA

Architecture+Design Film Festival
April 14 | Winnipeg, Canada

Women's History Month Film Festival
April 4 | Newark , NJ

Equinox Women's Film Festival
March 26 | Palmer, AK

Green Mountain Film Festival
March 19, 23 | Montpelier, VT

Florida Movie Festival
March 19-20 | Daytona Beach, FL
Best Documentary, Winner

George Lindsey UNA Film Festival
March 5 | Florence, AL

Green Bay Film Festival
March 5 | Green Bay, WI

Nevada Womens Film Festival
March 5 | Las Vegas, NV

Tribute Film Festival
March 5 | Abilene, TX
Best Non-Fiction Film by or for a Museum

Vermont Film School Film Festival
January 23 | Burlington, VT

Coronado Island Film Festival
January 15 | San Diego, CA

2015

BLOW-UP Arthouse Film Fest
December | Chicago, IL
Best Documentary Feature, Finalist

Another Independent Film Festival
November 13-14 | Eau Claire, WI

Eyecatcher International Film Festival
November 12 | McAlester, OK

Red Rock Film Festival of Zion
November 7 | Cedar City, UT

AIACC Monterey Design Conference
October 17 | Pacific Grove, CA

New Urbanism Film Festival
October 10 | Los Angeles, CA
Best Architecture Film, Winner

Footcandle Film Festival
September 27 | Hickory, NC

Jefferson State FliXX
September 26 | Fort James, CA
Special Jury Award Recognizing a Film with Unique Artistic Merit

Lunenberg Doc Festival
September 26 | Nova Scotia, Canada

Davis International Film Festival
September 19 | Davis, CA
Best Feature Documentary, Finalist

Women in Film and Television
September 15 | Atlanta, GA
Top Five in Category, Finalist

Gateway Film Center Doc Week
September 9 | Columbus, Ohio

Lund International Architecture Film Festival
September 9 | Sweden
European Premiere

Female Eye
June 18 | Ontario, Canada

NHDocs Film Festival
June 6 | New Haven, CT

Sanford International Film Festival
May 30 | Sanford, ME
Best Documentary Feature, Winner

Granite State Film Festival
April 11 | Nashua, NH

San Luis Obispo Film Festival
March | San Luis Obispo, CA
Best Documentary Feature, Winner

Palm Springs International Film Festival
January | Palm Springs, CA

2014

Napa Valley Film Festival
November | Napa Valley, CA

Santa Barbara International Film Festival
January | Santa Barbara, CA

Sponsors

This film was made possible thanks to the generosity of the following donors:

Lutah Associate Producer

  • Lisa & Brent Harris

Lutah Lovers

  • Leslie Sweem Bhutani
  • Gretchen Lieff
  • John C. Woodward

Lutah Family

  • Formations
  • Bea Hype, Summerland Antiques
  • Nancy & Jim Swift

Lutah Friends

  • Anonymous I and II
  • Marc Appleton & Joanna Kerns
  • American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles Chapter
  • Michelle Bruner
  • Sharon Felder
  • Pearl Chase Society
  • Tracy Rochestie
  • Santa Barbara Beautiful Board of Directors
  • Christine & Scott Smigel
  • Karl G. Smith II
  • Anne & Michael Towbes
  • Katherine Pharibe Wise

Lutah Thank You's

  • Sue Adams
  • Lloyd Applegate
  • Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara
  • Laurel & Tom Barrack
  • David Bertrand
  • Daniel Bifano
  • Laura M. Bridley, AICP
  • Hilary Burkemper
  • Jennifer Burrows & Pat Smith
  • Edie Caldwell
  • Susie & Ted Cronin
  • Sylvia & Bob Easton
  • Nancy Gifford
  • Corinna Gordon
  • Elaine Dine Gray
  • Martha A. Gray, Architect
  • Tony Spann & Staff, Harrison Design Associates
  • Ann James Interior Design
  • Scott Johnson, FAIA, Johnson Fain
  • Joan Kreiss and Roger Perlmutter
  • Marie Larkin
  • Dorinne Lee Johnson
  • George Logan
  • Jo Ann Mermis
  • Pat Mitchell
  • Kristi Newton
  • Kimberly Phillips, Maison K
  • John Saladino
  • Shubin & Donaldson Architects, Inc.
  • Wes St. Clair
  • Kami & Tim Morton Smith
  • Heather Sturgess
  • Suzette Naylor, Thompson Naylor Architects
  • The Warner Group Architects
  • Leesa Wilson-Goldmuntz
  • Karina Woolley
  • Diane & Steve Zipperstein