Eiffel's Race to the Top
Behind the iconic Eiffel Tower lies the story of an incredible challenge to erect a thousand-foot tower that went far beyond a design competition, and marked a major turning point in engineering history. It was the beginning of radical transformation where iron was pitted against stone, engineering against architecture, and modern design against ancients. Press campaigns, lobbying, public conferences, denigration of opposing projects, bragging about big names - all participants engaged in a fierce battle without concession. Using 3D recreations, official sources (reports, letters, drawings...) and intimate archives obtained from their descendants, this film will bring to life this vertical race through a fresh and visual way to mark the centenary of Eiffel death.
- Year: 2023
- Country: France
- Genre: Documentary, History
- Studio: ZED, ARTE, Cinémage 17, The WNET Group, FTV Prima, Movistar+, TV5 Monde, RTBF, TV5 Québec Canada, Musée d'Orsay
- Keyword: paris, france, competition, architect, universal exhibition, engineering, architecture, tower, mechanical engineering, eiffel tower, paris, skills challenge, 19th century, world's fair, 1880s
- Director: Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, Mathieu Schwartz
- Cast: Marc Citti, François Rabette, Léa Schwartz, Régis Royer, Étienne Launay, Édouard Michelon
