France TV Distribution has added the documentary “Building Paris” (“Construire Paris”) to its lineup and will premiere it at Sunny Side of the Doc, running June 22-24 and designed to bring the international documentary community together in France.
The doc focuses on 19th century Paris and the radical changes it went through after Emperor Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann set out to modernize the city. The filmmakers had exclusive access to famous monuments like Haussman’s Opera House and hidden locations beneath the city, combined with impressive VFX.
“‘Building Paris’ tells the transformation of Paris on three levels: the visible city, with its elegant buildings and grand boulevards; Paris from above, with its endless sea of zinc rooftops and exceptional viewpoints, including the roof of the Opéra Garnier, which is normally closed to the public; and finally the hidden city beneath the streets,” said director Guy Padovani (“Chauvet Humanity’s First Great Masterpiece,” “Denisova Unveiled”).
“The film also reveals how Paris went on to influence cities and capitals across Europe, South America and, more recently, China. One striking example is a district in Hangzhou that recreated an entire Haussmannian neighborhood, complete with its own Eiffel Tower,” Padovani continued.
