Houses of Art

Agatha Christie spent her happiest time at Greenway Estate, her summer residence in Devon. The mystical landscape reminded her of her childhood and inspired her to create gruesome literary murders. But Greenway was more than just a summer home for the shy, world-famous author. It was her refuge, which she unfortunately had to leave after only a year.

The film takes us to the Manoir de Ban, the idyllic villa on Lake Geneva that Charlie Chaplin moved into with his family in 1952 after he was denied re-entry into the USA. Private, some previously unreleased, film footage and interviews offer a glimpse into Chaplin's daily life as a husband, father, and artist.

The Münter House in Murnau am Staffelsee captivates people from all over the world: It was the center of the art movement "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider), and the painter Gabriele Münter lived here with her lover Wassily Kandinsky until the First World War. During the Nazi era, she hid around a thousand paintings here that were considered degenerate.

The Château Les Milandes in southwestern France is a place with a fascinating history: Josephine Baker lived here. During the Second World War, she hid weapons and refugees from the Nazis here. Her twelve adopted children also grew up in the château until her luxurious lifestyle led to Les Milandes being auctioned off.