Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006)

Right off the bat, let me say that you do not need to be a football fan to enjoy this film. It helps, but it is not a prerequisite.

I began watching this film thinking that it was merely going to be footage of a match in which the cameras were solely trained on Zinedine Zidane. I was pleasantly surprised when I started watching and found out this was not the case. This film does follow Zidane throughout a match from April 2005, but there is more to the cinematography and style of the film than just a bunch of nice cameras following him.

I like this film for the reason that the title gives for its purpose. Only with today's technology could we follow one player out of 22 on a field, during a game with thousands of people in attendance with such clarity and focus. The sound editing in this film is absolutely awe-inspiring, as they are able to edit the sounds down to Zidane sniffing. or his studs on the pitch. As crazy and loud as major sporting events are, this is no small feat. Also, the film quality allows the cameras to follow the action in such rich and vivid motion so that nothing is lost to the viewer. We also, on occasion, get the view of the armchair viewer, Zidane himself on the pitch, and cameramen in the stadium.

Throughout the film there are subtitles that are played, that are presumably quotes from Zidane. Never clarified, but it's a pretty safe assumption. In one, he talks about how a game is like magic, and how he only remembers pieces of games; moments. Cross our fingers, we always assume that the match we are watching is not rigged. Anything can happen on that day. The team can win or lose, the player can have a great game, or can have the worst of their career. It's not a certainty; even with a legendary player like Zidane. We get to see the spark of greatness that comes when he sets up a goal, and we get to see his volatile temper when he gets into a fight on the field and is red carded in the last throes of the match. It was all just defining moments that he would take from the game.

Through the one-player perspective, you get a great view into how they read the game. The viewer doesn't get lost in a sea of players and can watch how often the player reacts to what's going on around him. This has its drawbacks, too. You only see them reacting, not necessarily what they are reacting to. However, two great moments that come out of this close-up perspective are: 1) when Zidane tells the ref he should be ashamed after he awarded the opposing team a penalty kick which they converted into a goal, and 2) when Zidane and teammate Roberto Carlos share a genuine laugh on the field. You see it in Zidane's eyes and demeanor.

All in all, a slow and enrapturing ride along with one of football's legends. Worth a watch.