Shortly after his election in 1981, French president François Mitterrand began his legendary Grands Projets, an architecture programme for modern monuments in Paris. La malédiction de la Grande Arche by director Jean-Marie Montangerand follows the pioneering project for the Grande Arche at La Défense. In 1982 an international competition open to everybody was announced. Of the 424 entries, the unknown Danish architect J.O. Spreckelsen emerged as winner. Unfortunately, he never got to see his spectacular project, because he died before its completion. The film eloquently explains the process, and also the political context and the ambitions of the project.