Mario Botta

The 200-year-old story of Milan’s illustrious opera house, La Scala, home to the great tenor Placido Domingo, conductor Arturo Toscanini and acclaimed soprano Maria Callas.

A rare, in-depth artistic journey into the work of internationally acclaimed Swiss architect Mario Botta. The film explores Botta's ever growing curiosity and reflections on the contractions of society through his sacred spaces, a subject very dear to him. Why does globalized society feel the urge to build such spaces? The directors traveled to China, South Korea, Israel, Italy, and Switzerland to discover a passionate and tireless artist, his buildings, and part of his creative process. Botta is one of the few architects who has built places of prayer for three main monotheistic religions. After building many churches, chapels, and synagogue, he is now working on a mosque in China. Through his thoughts and his interaction with artists, colleagues, clients, and family members, the viewers have a glimpse of the man behind the Architect.

Between the 1980s and 1990s, architect Mario Botta and painter Enzo Cucchi turned a common utopia into reality, engaging their respective imaginations to construct and decorate the chapel on Monte Tamaro, Ticino, 1,600 meters above sea level. Brimming with evocative elements, Villi Hermann’s documentary investigates the sacredness of a shared creative process in profound dialogue with nature.