FOCUS ON CANNES 2019: DIEGO MARADONA —ASIF KAPADIA

"Having never won a major tournament, ailing football giant SSC Napoli had criminally underachieved. Their fanatical support was unequalled in both passion and size. None was more feared. But how they ached for success. On 5th July 1984, Diego Maradona arrived in Naples for a world-record fee and for seven years all hell broke loose.  The world’s most celebrated football genius and the most dysfunctional city in Europe were a perfect match for each other. Maradona was blessed on the field but cursed off it; the charismatic Argentine, quickly led Naples to their first-ever title.  It was the stuff of dreams. But there was a price; Diego could do as he pleased whilst performing miracles on the pitch, but when the magic faded he became almost a prisoner of the city."

"The third film from the Academy Award and BAFTA-winning team behind Senna and Amy, the film is constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage from Maradona’s personal archive and in the style of Senna and Amy, will be a high-end and definitive feature documentary made with the full support of Maradona. In a city where the devil would have needed bodyguards, Maradona became bigger than God himself. This is the wild and unforgettable story of God-given talent, glory, despair and betrayal, of corruption, and ultimately redemption." 

British filmmaker Asif Kapadia came into fame for his 2010 documentary "Senna," about Brazilian motor-racing legend Ayrton Senna, before winning the 2016 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for "Amy," Kapadia's stunning documentary about the late Amy Winehouse. Much more than understanding the proper use of chyrons, Kapadia is a rigorous documentarian with a knack for creating a palpable bond between his subject and his audience. 

"Diego Maradona" will play Outside of Competition (for the Palme d'Or). Diego Maradona is scheduled to attend the festival. 

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