A film about faith, humility, and the courage to create.
The year is 1983. An architectural competition is announced for a new landmark in Paris, which is to become a symbol of its modern district, La Défense. The competition is entered by the largest international architectural firms, and surprisingly, it is won by an unknown architecture teacher, Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, with his project, the Grand Arch – La Grande Arche. Until this point, this fifty-year-old Dane had built only four buildings: his home and three small chapels; he dedicated his life primarily to teaching and seeking a balance between space, light, and the human soul. His Grand Arch is simple, geometrically pure, inspired by the idea of a gateway to the heavens. The film follows how Otto copes with the pressure from politicians, officials, and the media, as well as his own doubts about whether it is possible to remain true to a spiritual vision in the midst of a world of compromises. The construction, which was meant to be a symbol of harmony, gradually transforms into a mirror of his inner struggle. Director Stéphane Demoustier noted that he wanted to tell the story of a quiet hero – a man who remains true to his vision even at the moment when the world pressures him to conform. According to him, it is not a film about architecture, but about faith, humility, and the courage to create.