Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait Film Review

Film Review: Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

The Real Madrid side of the early 2000′s is probably as close as anyone’s come to recreating the iconic Cosmos, so it’s fitting that the Bernabeu is the next stop on our cinematic voyage. The concept behind Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait is a barnstormingly simple one – put 17 synchronised cameras on the planet’s greatest footballer for ninety minutes and see what happens. Shot by two video installation artists, Philippe Parreno and Douglas Gordon, we take in the 90 minutes of Real Madrid’s La Liga clash with Villarreal in April 2005, with camera’s solely focused on Zizou.

It’s not the first time this has been tried, as German director Hellmuth Costard tried a similar, albeit more lo-fi version, with his 1971 film Football Like Never Before, when he stalked George Best around the field for 90 minutes against Coventry.

To some, this may sound dull and for 99% of the players in the world it probably would be – luckily no-one’s pitching a around a sequel centring around Robbie Savage. Fortunately, Zidane is one of the most graceful footballers to ever play the game, so watching him jog around, pull up his socks, spit and occasionally get the ball is far more compulsive than it sounds. The titular ‘Portrait’ that the film-makers are trying to get across really shines through, as you see a master at work, with an intense, brooding concentration that’s fit for the big screen.

Interlinked with television footage of the game and with the Cantona-esque musings of Zindane on memory, childhood and the game of life appearing as subtitles on our screen, we see the balding genius showing off some of his legendary ball-control as he sets up a goal for fellow galactico Ronaldo. The film ends as we see the other side of his character when he gets involved in an on-field brawl and receives a red card, not for the first, or famously last time in his career. Like Zidane’s career as a whole, it’s an apt ending, showing the fine line between genius and madness that so many gifted footballers have walked.

After a while of watching this beautifully shot and technically brilliant film it’s easy to get drawn in, as it has a hypnotic quality. A stunning soundtrack from excellent Scottish post-rock band Mogwai fits the mood perfectly.

Although it may not be to everyone’s tastes (not a great date movie I’d imagine guys), Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait is a thing of beauty for football connoisseurs and movie-buffs alike.