The

The Unknown Man of the Great Arch

Physical location
Cinéma Le Balzac - 1 rue Balzac, 75008 Paris

Excerpt from the poster for the film “L’Inconnu de la Grande Arche”. – © DR

UNEAP (Union Nationale des Étudiants en Architecture et Paysage) has teamed up with La Grande Distribution, the architecture film club “La Cinémaquette” and L’Architecte to offer students and teachers at architecture schools, as well as all architecture enthusiasts, a preview of the film “The Unknown Man of the Great Arch” (“L’Inconnu de la Grande Arche”) in the presence of its director Stéphane Demoustier:

1982. François Mitterrand launches an unprecedented anonymous architectural competition to build an emblematic building in the axis of the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe.
To everyone’s surprise, the Danish architect Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, unknown in France, won. Propelled to the head of the largest building site of the era, he joined forces with Paul Audreu, and quickly came up against the complexities of reality and the vagaries of politics.

Starring Claes Bang, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Michel Fau, Xavier Dolan, Swann Arlaud
Opening November 5, 2025

Pick up your ticket (paying ticket office)

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The Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine is offering a second opportunity to preview the film on Friday October 17 at 7pm as part of the Journées nationales de l’architecture 2025.

The free screening (registration required) will be followed by a discussion with director Stéphane Demoustier, Laurence Cossé and Jean-Louis Subileau.

Pick up your ticket (free ticket office)

Event