Encore Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with the PBS App
The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of a major turning point in architectural history, and it owes its existence to a fierce duel between two men. "Eiffel's Race to the Top" tells the story of the hard-won victory of a visionary over his determined rival. 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's death.
Film Interviewees:
- Barry Bergdoll – Architectural Historian, Columbia University
- Michel Carmona – Biographer of Gustave Eiffel
- Julie Gimbal – Architectural Historian
- Bertrand Lemoine – Architect and Architectural Historian
- Claudine Philouze-Chatty – Engineer and Art Historian
- Isabelle Morin Loutrel – Curator of Historical Monuments
- Jean-Michel Leniaud – Art Historian and Biographer of Charles Garnier
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![First real sketch of the eiffel tower with other major monuments in the margin of the page for reference, the sketch is on a brown desk.](https://cdn.kpbs.org/dims4/default/c094bc4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1370x844+111+0/resize/880x542!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkpbs-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F94%2Fc5%2Fd9789c104611adf212f4d0578a5d%2Feiffel-4-croquis-tour-zed.jpg)
![Claire Eiffel, Gustave Eiffel and his associate are reading a newspaper.](https://cdn.kpbs.org/dims4/default/585a49b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1370x844+130+0/resize/880x542!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkpbs-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F4a%2F01%2Fb0bae4974289b55421373a74d99b%2Feiffel-3claire-eiffel-et-associezed.jpg)
Credits: A ZED production for ARTE France in association with The WNET Group, in association with FTV Prima, Movistar Plus+, TV5MONDE, RTBF Documentary Unit, TV5 Québec, and RSI. Written and directed by Mathieu Schwartz and Savin Yeatman-Eiffel. Narrated by Jay O. Sanders. Produced by Gaëlle Guyader. For ZED: Manuel Catteau is executive producer; Claire Bénard is general manager. For SECRETS OF THE DEAD: Benjamin Phelps is supervising producer; Stephanie Carter is executive producer; Stephen Segaller is executive in charge.
![A close-up of the Eiffel Tower.](https://cdn.kpbs.org/dims4/default/dc9df39/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1370x844+0+0/resize/880x542!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkpbs-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F2b%2Fb7%2Fd7c5394347b89d7aa357934e2457%2Feiffel-2-gp-tour-eiffel-gp-tournage-zed.jpg)