Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait
Thursday, 28 Sep 2006 14:34
Every move Zidane makes is captured on film
Directed by Turner Prize-winner Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno; out in cinemas from September 29th starring Zinedine Zidane, plus supporting roles for one La Liga referee and 21 other players including David Beckham, Roberto Carlos and Raul; running time 94 minutes.
In a nutshell…
Timely. Encapsulating. Mesmerising. Sinister. Simple.
What's it all about?
Simply put, it's about Zidane. The film is made up of a series of shots taken from 17 cameras that were trained solely on the French star throughout a Real Madrid league game on April 25th, 2005. An important game against Villarreal - with the impressive Bernabeau Stadium as a backdrop - it was chosen completely at random, we are told. The game's fittingly dramatic finale rounds off the film well and, in light of recent events, is very timely indeed.
The cameras follow Zidane from start to finish, interrupted only by a half-time montage of news clips and the occasional wider shot of the pitch and the stadium. It is interesting to watch his habits as he plays, like the way he drags his feet, and although he is clearly not a vocal player, he becomes more animated as things go his way in the game. Most surprising, perhaps, is the moment you actually see him smile.
Who's in it?
The star of the "film" is the infamous, and now retired, footballer Zinedine Zidane – the same man who ended his illustrious playing career with a flourish, of sorts, by getting sent off in the World Cup final playing for France.
During his career Zidane won every major football competition there is, including a World Cup, a European Championships and the Champions League. Hailed as a genius and a talisman of modern football, his brilliance was also tinged with a dark side capable of turning him from hero to villain in the blink of an eye. Just ask Marco Materazzi.
As an example…
"You should be ashamed" – Zidane's whispered words to the referee after he awards a penalty to Villarreal.
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
This is an art house film through and through and is very much at home in that subtitled, complex, and frequently confusing niche genre. Its inventive use of sound and lack of significant plot, other than the context of the football match itself, is swathed in art house garb.
Even for staunch Zizou fans, this is not a blockbuster.
What the others say
"In the case of Zidane, there is beauty to be found in the sheer physical elegance of an athlete at the height of his powers" – Scotland on Sunday
"Stunning" - BBC
"[An] alarmingly anomalous lowlight of this year's Cannes Film Festival" – The Observer.
So is it any good?
In a word, yes. I was pleasantly surprised, having been in two minds beforehand about whether the format would work. Some of the editing and overlays are quite amateurish and the halftime montage is given no context so it somehow doesn't quite fit, but these negatives do not detract from the overall beauty and flow of the film.
The crowd noise, coupled with the intermittent Mogwai soundtrack, makes for a sometimes haunting backdrop that allows you to fully appreciate the concentration and effort Zidane expends during the game. On "le carré vert", Zidane speaks with his movement and his play, only occasionally shouting a derisory "hey!" or "va!". He appears uncomfortable without the ball and stalks around the pitch like a nervous gazelle.
He may drift in and out of the play but as the focus throughout, the film provides a genuine insight into both the man and the footballer.
7/10
Alistair Potter
"He's one of the biggest icons in history bless him, this shows that football brings nations together. That's one love. So we keep the fire burning ,respect and love it everytime. Jah bless." - Newton Shambare
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