Joy Will Prevail

Local title
Elurõõmu nimel
Original title
Joy Will Prevail
Director
Max Korman
Country
Year
2026

Louis Kahn is an architectural icon. This is the story of his final building.

Estonian-born Louis Kahn became one of the most influential architects of the 20th century – a boy from Saaremaa turned into a world-renowned cultural figure, whose monumental body of work transformed architecture. Yet alongside his public success, he led a complicated private life, torn between three women and their children.

In 1971, at the height of his career, Kahn was approached by Steve Korman, a young family man from Philadelphia, who wanted a country home for his family. Kahn initially refused, but eventually agreed, and what followed was a three-year collaboration in which architecture, family and questions of home and creativity became intertwined. The result is the Korman House – the last building designed by Kahn, which was completed shortly before his unexpected death.

Max Korman’s debut film offers a glimpse into the life and work of the world-renowned architect through a deeply personal story: the Korman House was commissioned by the director’s grandfather. Thus, the story of the creation of Kahn’s final house becomes both a family saga and a portrait of a man from an Estonian island, whose legacy extends far beyond his birthplace.

Triin Tramberg

Director
Max Korman
Screenwriter
Max Korman
Producer
J. Andrew Greenblatt, Max Korman, Derek Dienner, Alex Peace-Power
Co-producer
Anthony Faure, Christopher Rivera, Grace Wagner
Cast
Griffin Dunne, Ben Rosenfield, Molly Ephraim, Jennifer Beals, Alexis Bledel
Cinematographer
Joshua Echevarria
Editing
Sarah Flack
Production Design
Tiffany Echo Wolf
Composer
Alex Weston
Production
a.film, Backlight, MAKE/FILMS
Music
Brittany Douziech
Sound
Arjun Sheth
Runtime
Language
Subtitles
Max Korman
Director
Biography

Max Korman graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with an MSc in Physics; a triple-major in Mathematics, Logic & Computation, and Philosophy of Science; research experience in Quantum Engineering; and teaching experience in Mathematical Logic. Max is the grandson of Steve Korman (founder of Korman Communities), and the only person in the Korman House’s 50 years and 9 inhabitants to have been born into the house, making “Joy Will Prevail” a deeply personal love letter to his family and origins.

Filmography

Joy Will Prevail (2026)

Screenings

Screening020220 / Elurõõmu nimel
SubtitlesEstonian
Q&A guestsJ. Andrew Greenblatt (Producer), Ben Rosenfield (Cast), Griffin Dunne (Cast), Max Korman (Director)
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Trailer