E.1027 - Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea

Architect Eileen Gray’s decision to build a house that would express her spirit took shape in the creative nonconformist climate of modernist Parisian culture. The result, a product of her love affair with colleague Jean Badovici, was Villa E.1027, a white and blue structure overlooking the Mediterranean, complete with a windowed façade, multiple levels, and cleverly placed curves. 

As Gray began to realize that her seaside refuge had become public property, her nemesis, Le Corbusier, who was smitten by the building, resolved to impose his own order on it. Although the villa was built in the 1920s, its turbulent history is still in the making. 

Based on the memoirs of the big personalities involved, this hybrid documentary revisits the events using reenactments and dreamlike visuals. It is a meticulous recreation of the zeitgeist and spirit of a truly unique building, a masterpiece both modest and monumental.

Swiss Film Prize, Nominee – Best Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Music, Best Editing
CPH:DOX – participation
DocAviv Film Festival – participation