Eiffel's Race to the Top

Eiffel's Race to the Top

Documentary, History, TV Movie | Nov. 6, 2023

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.

Eiffel's Race to the Top

Documentary, History, TV Movie | Nov. 6, 2023

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.
Producers ARTE, RTBF, Musée d'Orsay, ZED, TV5 Monde, Movistar+, TV5 Québec Canada, FTV Prima, The WNET Group, Cinémage 17
Original title Eiffel, la guerre des tours
Directors Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, Mathieu Schwartz
Writers

Cast

Marc Citti

as Gustave Eiffel

François Rabette

as Jules Bourdais

Léa Schwartz

as Claire Eiffel

Régis Royer

as Charles Garnier

Étienne Launay

as Maurice Koechlin

Edouard Michelon

as Émile Nouguier

Romans Suarez-Pazos

as Édouard Lockroy

Cédric Zimmerlin

as Amédée Sébillot

Luc Emmanuel Betton

as Gustave Ferrié

Bruno Ricci

as Émile Trelat

Christophe Reymond

as Jean-Louis Pascal

Laurent Lafuma

as Joseph-Antoine Bouvard

Gabriel Arbessier

as Bourdais' assistant

Chloé Réjon

as Narrator (voice)