The Experimental City documents the fascinating story behind a failed domed metropolis that was to be located in Minnesota.

Chad Freidrichs, who directs the documentary, does a fantastic job in bringing history–even if forgotten to many–to life.

The city was the brainchild of scientist and University of Minnesota dean Athelstan Spilhaus.  In watching, I was reminded of Walt Disney’s vision for Epcot as being a city of tomorrow.  Just as the Florida project never came to fruition, the same goes for the Minnesota Experimental City.  There’s no doubting that these people were ahead of their time in the 1960s.  While it may have seemed like a great idea in paper, they faced resisistance from the Minnesota citizens in addition to environmentalists.

Long before Stephen King could have ever imagined it, this failed city was to be the original city located under the dome.  It is theoretically possible that it could have been a success if it wasn’t being planned as a nude colony.

Screening in the Documentary competition and architecture categories at the Chicago International Film Festival, The Experimental City will screen on Wednesday, October 18, at 8 PM.  An encore screening will take place on Thursday, October 19, at 12:45 PM.