Stardust off ers a rare, intimate look at the groundbreaking architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, whose work revolutionized architecture and urban theory. Filmed over two decades by their son, Jim, this documentary transcends the traditional biography by blending music, candid dialogues, and vibrant visuals to capture their unique partnership in both life and art. Through unseen footage and personal anecdotes, Stardust reveals how Venturi and Scott Brown saw beauty in the overlooked, reframing architecture by embracing the “messy vitality” of urban life. Their story is one of collaboration, resilience, and shared vision, off ering insights into what it means to see, create, and challenge the status quo together.

James Venturi is the founder and principal designer of ReThink Studio, an urban planning think-tank, which is responsible for the ReThinkNYC Bigger Apple Plan, a holistic way to reimagine the city’s place in the region. Prior to ReThink and the production of Stardust, Venturi started and ran a New York City-based technology consulting firm. Stardust was born from Venturi’s realization that he needed to capture his parents on film while he still could. To do this, he assembled a professional film crew, followed them on a journey crossing continents and capturing the creative process and a partnership that spanned over fifty years.

Anita Naughton joined the production as the writer and editor of Stardust. Naughton is a British/American writer and actor who has written plays, screenplays, and short stories. Her past work includes Tea & Sympathy, the story of her waitressing days in Greenwich Village which was optioned and developed as a feature film with Tiger Aspect Productions. Naughton has just finished a rom-com novel set in Tuscany.