“One of the year’s most bittersweet and poignant films.”

Situated right on the outskirts of Paris, only a stone’s throw away from the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, is another landmark that has become an indelible part of the city’s skyline, the Grande Arche – an enormous cubical monument that has stood in La Défense since François Mitterrand (as part of his Grands Projets initiative) officially opened it in the late 1980s. As is the case with many buildings, the story of how this landmark came to be proves fascinating, particularly since this building had quite an unconventional journey to realization. Conceived by Danish architect Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, the Grande Arche was what he considered to be the culmination of his life’s work, an endeavor of which he was fiercely protective, to the point where his ultimate vision did not come to fruition in the way he intended. His story is used as the foundation for The Great Arch (L’inconnu de la Grande Arche), the most recent film by Stéphane Demoustier, which serves as a dramatized account of the circumstances between the selection of the Grande Arche as the next attempt at preparing Paris for the future, and the fascinating individuals that played a vital role in its construction. A film as simple as it is deeply evocative, The Great Arch sets out to capture a particular moment in Parisian history, all filtered through the perspective of a remarkable, generational artist and the people who either supported his vision, or stood in his way on the journey to bringing this now-iconic building to life.

While it may not seem so in theory, architecture has proven to be a fascinating subject for cinema, based on the small but nonetheless substantial canon of films about the art of design and construction. The Great Arch is evidence of the fact that the right approach can make any topic exceptionally engaging. In choosing von Spreckelsen and his creative pursuits as the foundation for this film, which is as much about the construction of the Grande Arche as it is a bittersweet depiction of Paris in the 1980s, the director finds fertile ground for a compelling piece of socio-political commentary, using the subject as an entry point into a complex discussion on several intricate themes. Demoustier asks a few key questions throughout this film, primarily around the intersection between art and industry, and whether creativity is something that can ever truly be controlled to match a particular agenda, or if it loses any value once it has been regulated or subjected to strict mandates. This is not a case of asking if all art is inherently political (which is still discussed in the film, albeit in a far less prominent way), but rather examining where one ends and the other begins, a far less easy distinction to make. The Great Arch sets out to investigate the process of finding beauty in the artifice, which extends to both physical and metaphorical manifestations of artistry and its symbiotic relationship with less-creative sectors.

Over the years, Claes Bang has quietly but consistently established himself as one of our greatest living actors, someone whose extraordinary versatility is matched only by his remarkable screen presence. The Great Arch is the most recent in a line of films in which he makes use of his exceptional talents – and while he has played artistically minded individuals in the past, this film in particular affords him the opportunity to explore the life of another fascinating figure.  Architecture cannot speak for itself, so the history of buildings can only be expressed through the stories of the people involved in their creation, which is the angle the director takes when exploring the journey from conception to completion of this iconic landmark, in which we are privy to various ideas and their construction, both literally and figuratively. Bang’s performance as von Spreckelsen is exceptional, particularly in how he encompasses everything that he represents. He was a simple man whose only desire was to see his vision realized on his terms, and the film wisely does not present the architect as a vulgar, overbearing megalomaniac, but rather someone who has found himself in a precarious position, forced to work with institutions that don’t quite match his ambition, which led to years of tension. Supporting performances from Sidse Babett Knudsen, Swann Arlaud, and Xavier Dolan lend The Great Arch more complexity, particularly in how each one of them is portraying a person as vital to the realization of his monument as the architect whose ideas form the basis for this remarkable film.

At a glance, The Great Arch may not strike the viewer as being particularly noteworthy in terms of the subject matter, as a story of an architect going up against the might of governmental bureaucracy may seem like an acquired taste from a distance. However, in practice, we find that it is entirely effective, taking a simple concept and allowing it to flourish into an astoundingly complex, engaging character study. This is not just a story of an architect and his craft (although its observations of the technical processes are certainly fascinating and provide necessary context that supports the overall narrative), but rather the hauntingly beautiful odyssey of a man attempting to see his life’s work realized, which was unfortunately never possible due to his untimely death. Despite being ultimately a downbeat film with a conclusion that intentionally does not offer much resolution, The Great Arch is still an intensely passionate ode to art and the people who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of making life slightly more beautiful and mystifying, often battling between retaining their sanity or having the satisfaction of seeing their visions manifesting as intended. Throughout the film, we are shown that architecture (like any other form of art) is akin to a symphony, shown through a centerpiece scene in which von Spreckelsen indicates his belief that any work of creativity is simply the process of arranging a series of small components in such a way that they exist in harmony, working towards a larger and more compelling work. Employing a similar approach, The Great Arch proves to be an expressive, carefully constructed character study about the relationship between art and ambition, and the perpetual pursuit of perfection, forming the foundation for one of the year’s most bittersweet and poignant films.