Wim Wenders Explores Peter Zumthor’s Architecture in 3D Documentary ‘From Inside Out’

A new 3D documentary from acclaimed director Wim Wenders will make its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, offering an intimate look into the work of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor.

Titled “From Inside Out,” the film chronicles the thoughtful, immersive approach Zumthor brings to his designs, with a focus on the David Geffen Galleries currently under construction at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The documentary is the culmination of a 14-year collaboration between the filmmaker and the Swiss-born architect.

Wenders first encountered Zumthor’s architecture during a competition for a gallery near Berlin’s Neues Museum. Although the proposed building was never constructed, the encounter left a lasting impression. “It looked splendid but wasn’t built,” Wenders recalled.

Motivated by a lifelong fascination with architecture, Wenders saw Zumthor as the ideal subject for a feature-length film. “His work rethinks the very basis of what architecture is or can be,” he explained.

The documentary stars no professional actors. Instead, real visitors and residents of Zumthor’s buildings appear on screen, sharing their experiences. Featured individuals include filmmakers Ava DuVernay and Werner Herzog, actress Ever Anderson, musician Sophie Hunger, visual artist Tarek Atoui, and dancer Aoi Yamada, who also appeared in Wenders’ “Perfect Days.”

The construction of LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries played a pivotal role in the film. When the project transitioned from blueprint to reality, Wenders and Zumthor agreed to include it as a central milestone.

“What was already a long-term observation became even longer,” Wenders said. He also credits actor and producer Brad Pitt for helping bring the film to life. Pitt, an outspoken supporter of Zumthor’s design for the galleries, advocated for the project before the City Council and stepped in as executive producer.

“Peter made himself available every step of the way,” Wenders noted, adding that the architect opened his archives and answered countless questions over more than a decade. Filming took place in Zumthor’s Swiss office and at construction sites around the world.

Wenders chose to shoot the documentary in 3D, calling it the most natural visual language for exploring architecture. “No other format would do justice to the relationship between the building, the materials, and the people who experience them,” he said.

The film premieres at Venice on Sunday, giving audiences a rare glimpse into the meditative process behind one of contemporary architecture’s most revered figures.