Documentary Film

CAN LIS - UTZON'S HIDDEN MASTERPIECE
DOCUMENTARY FILM

The film delves into the history of Can Lis, the residence Utzon designed on the coast of Mallorca. More than just a house, Can Lis represents the perfect harmony between design and nature, using local materials and sustainability principles long before the concept gainedglobal significance.

TRAILER

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AWARDS & SELECTIONS

Official Selection - Sofia World Film Festival

Sofia World Film Festival - 2025

Two Honorable Mentions - Best Director Debut & Best Original Score

Sofia World Film Festival- 2025

Official Selection

Silk Road International Film Festival- 2025

SINOPSIS

Located on the majestic coast of Mallorca, Can Lis – Utzon’s Hidden Masterpiece unravels the history and significance of the iconic house designed by Jørn Utzon, the architect behind the world-famous Sydney Opera House, as a retreat for him and his family a few years after he left Sydney. Utzon crafted a home that harmonises with its surroundings while embodying his architectural philosophy.

In this film we explore how this retreat becomes a fine example of timeless design, and architectural poetry with a deep respect for the island’s natural environment and the use of local materials and resources. Can Lis was built 50 years ago but it is more relevant now than ever, in the current context of climate change, increase of carbon emissions and resource scarcity.

Guided by the insightful knowledge of the architects and university professors Piers Taylor and Francisco Cifuentes, and featuring a special collaboration with Line Norskov, architect and director of exhibitions at the Utzon Center, this documentary reveals how Utzon distilled lessons from his global travels, the local context in Mallorca, his youth in Denmark, his life in Sydney, his passion for sailing and his understanding of the world, that lead him to create this timeless masterpiece. This film is a cinematic ode to a hidden gem that inspires us to rethink how we build for the future.

The film not only highlights the grandeur of Can Lis but also invites reflection on how architecture can respond to its natural surroundings and enrich the human experience. Directed by Juan Alberto Morillas, architect and founder of the platform Share Your Green Design, with an original soundtrack composed by Juan Cruz-Guevara, an award-winning music composer, this film celebrates the convergence of art, nature, and design, leaving an indelible mark on those who watch it.

MAIN TEAM

STILL PHOTOS

Juan A. Morillas

Director

Piers Taylor

Presenter

Francisco Cifuentes

Presenter

Juan Cruz-Guevara

Composer – Original Soundtrack 

Line Nørskov Davenport

Exhibition Director at the Utzon Center

NEWS

TESTIMONIALS

"In life, there are moments that define us, and for me, visiting Can Lis in 2022 was one of those moments. This documentary is the result of three years of discovery about Can Lis, Mallorca, Utzon, but also about what is truly important in architecture and life. Can Lis is much more than a house. It is the materialisation of a way of understanding the world. And that is what I have tried to convey with this documentary.
Documentary Film
Juan A. Morillas
(Director)
"It's been an extraordinary pleasure to immerse myself in the world of Utzon and Can Lis, because of course I knew about it, I studied in Sydney, I’ve been to the Opera House but nothing quite prepared me for where visiting Can Lis would take me, and what it would show me about an extraordinary world of architecture that can move beyond the Orthodox, the formal, the dogmatic, and the rich world of Utzon opened up something for me that really was life-changing….”
Piers Taylor
(Presenter)
"Composing the music for Can Lis has been a rewarding experience because I had to navigate through very different sound worlds. Being able to find the sound of every corner of the house, every thought of Utzon, and yesterday, here in his home at the Utzon Center, seeing part of his legacy and being present at the documentary’s premiere was a very happy and fulfilling moment. I am extremely grateful to Juan Alberto Morillas for giving me this opportunity. An unforgettable moment."
Documentary Film
Juan Cruz-Guevara
(Composer)

AUDIENCE REACTIONS

ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

🎶 The Complete Soundtrack of Can Lis – Utzon’s Hidden Masterpiece

The soundtrack of Can Lis – Utzon’s Hidden Masterpiece accompanies the viewer throughout the 53-minute journey of this cinematic experience, perfectly blending Jørn Utzon’s architecture with the essence of the Mallorcan landscape. Each piece is carefully composed to reflect the spirit of Can Lis, a place where nature, light, and history come together in a unique harmony.

From the melancholy of the opening notes to the gentle farewell of Aire, each track reflects a different facet of the place and its creator, transporting the listener to a sensory space where the music becomes part of the environment. The soundtrack not only complements the imagery but elevates it, inviting a deeper connection with Utzon’s work and vision.

Now, the complete soundtrack is available on Spotify, including the final track Aire. You can listen to it at any time, immersing yourself once again in the magic of Can Lis and carrying its essence with you.

 

Documentary Film

🎵 Aire — The Soundtrack to the End of Can Lis – Utzon’s Hidden Masterpiece

At the end of Can Lis, Aire emerges as the melody that accompanies the final breath of this visual journey.
A song that, much like the house itself, intimately connects with nature, light, and the essence that Jørn Utzon embedded in his masterpiece.

Aire is the final layer of this cinematic experience, a sonic reflection of what Utzon created through his architecture: a space where the simplicity and beauty of the natural world intertwine, inviting the viewer to feel, in their own being, what is part of the landscape, the light, and the history that inhabits every corner of Can Lis.

This closing song seeks to capture the profound connection with the essential that Utzon pursued, a reminder that the greatest things can often be found in the simplest forms, and that architecture, like music, has the power to transform our perception of the world.

PRESS

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