The Architect

1983. An architectural competition is announced for a new landmark of Paris, intended to become the symbol of its modern district La Défense.

The competition attracts the world's leading architectural firms, but surprisingly, an unknown architecture teacher, Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, wins with his project The Great Arch - La Grande Arche. Until this moment, the fifty-year-old Dane has built only four structures: his own home and three small chapels, having devoted his life primarily to teaching and seeking balance between space, light, and the human soul.

His Great Arch is simple, geometrically pure, inspired by the idea of a gateway to heaven. The film follows Otto as he grapples with pressure from politicians, bureaucrats, and the media, as well as his own doubts about whether one can remain true to a spiritual vision in a world of compromises. The building, which was meant to be a symbol of harmony, gradually becomes a mirror of his inner struggle.