For centuries, Santa Fe has reinvented itself all while keeping pieces of its history in tact.
Go on a visit to the Plaza area and one can feel the history.
Over two years ago, Hutton Video Productions teamed up with La Fonda on the Plaza to create a documentary to mark the 100th anniversary of the structure.
“La Fonda on the Plaza: 100 Years of Hospitality” will premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 11, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. It will also rebroadcast at 9 p.m. Friday, May 12, on channel 5.4, as well as stream on the PBS app.
Edward Pulsifer, director of sales and hotel historian, La Fonda on the Plaza, says it’s a multitude of things that makes La Fonda special.
“There’s so much history,” Pulsifer says. “There are incredible people that I get to work with. We also have generations of repeat clientele. They see that our employees are around for a long time and it makes a difference.”
The documentary is narrated by New Mexico resident Ali MacGraw.
Pulsifer says Hutton worked for a few years alongside Britta Anderson, director of marketing at La Fonda.
“We hope that after watching the documentary, people will get the curiosity and relive the history,” Anderson says. “There’s the legacy of the Fred Harvey company and the designers and the story of the bell towers. I really hope it sparks an interest in the property.”
The documentary highlights the hotel’s fascinating past and the many people involved in preserving the historic hotel, including some of its most famous guests.
It shows how the beloved landmark has set the standard for Santa Fe hospitality since 1922. The hotel, as a Harvey House, had a front-row seat to the development of Southwestern tourism.
Pulsifer, as the hotel historian, has learned a lot about the property in his 11 years at the property.
“I got asked to do a tour in 2013,” Pulsifer says. “We now have regular art tours Wednesdays through Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. There’s a heavy emphasis on the property’s private collection. We’ve had over 8,000 people take our tours since 2013.”
Continuing the centennial festivities, La Fonda is celebrating the Thursday night, May 11, broadcast premiere with a live “La Fonda Documentary Watch Party” in the hotel’s Lumpkins Ballroom at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free, but RSVPs are required. To secure a seat, email La Fonda on the Plaza Executive Administrative Assistant Annette Sedillo at asedillo@lafondasantafe.com or call 505-995-2301.
“The Hutton Video Production team was a pleasure to work with. The energy, enthusiasm, and respect the team poured into this project is evident throughout the film. Operating with close attention to detail while ensuring historic accuracy was their main priority throughout the process,” Anderson says. “The final result honors La Fonda’s rich history and truly celebrates the hotel’s 100 years of hospitality. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many participants that made this film a reality, including Ali MacGraw and Santa Fe luminaries such as Paul Bardacke, Tony Abeyta and Barbara Felix, to name a few. The film captured the stories of Santa Fe treasures Marian Silver, Tom Catron and Bud Kelly; all recently departed and greatly missed.”
SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
